Lex Talionis
by NEIWIS
Summary: Throughout history, the mightiest of walls have beckoned the greatest of destroyers, and no wall stands mightier than the barrier of Camp Half-Blood. Many have tried to send the walls crumbling down, but all have failed. However, all things must eventually come to an end. Camp Half-Blood's walls will fall, and they will learn that the sins of the past do not always stay in the past
1. You Shouldn't Disrespect the Dead

**This is a story that has been in my head for a long time now. It takes place before the Trials of Apollo. I hope everyone enjoys.**

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If there was one thing Frank hated about being a praetor, it was all of the paperwork that came with the job. He understood that they needed to document a lot of things, but did they really need to document absolutely everything? He felt like he had to write down every time he took a breath.

Truthfully, it all seemed like a ton of busy work, so he wouldn't mess up anything that was really important. His fellow praetor had to trust him enough to not mess up though, hopefully.

Frank slowly looked at the stack of papers in front of him. After glancing around to make sure no one was looking, he rested his head on the table and gently hit his head against it a few times. The whole shapeshifting thing was cool, but it would be really cool if he got a power that just allowed him to make paperwork disappear.

After a moment, Frank stopped trying to give himself a headache, and he slowly looked up. The mound of paperwork was bigger than his head, and it all revolved around revamping their old temples. It was something that Camp Jupiter did every twenty five years, and Frank was lucky enough to be praetor at that twenty five year mark.

Frank leaned back in his seat and stared down at the files. If he accidentally knocked over the stack and mixed up all of the papers, how mad would Reyna be at him? His fellow praetor had been gone for a few days on some kind of mission for Lupa. Apparently, the Hunters of Artemis had requested help from Camp Jupiter, and Lupa had volunteered Reyna.

That left Frank alone to led Camp Jupiter's first official visit to Camp Half-Blood. His original plan was to bring one centurion from each cohort to Camp Half-Blood. Then, both of the centurions from the first cohort had broken their legs and were confined to Camp Jupiter. When Frank was trying to decide which cohort should bring both of their centurions, he couldn't help but look at his former cohort.

Frank slammed his head back onto the table and instantly regretted it. A soft groan escaped, and he lifted his head. Frank rubbed his forehead and stared back at the files. He had brought them in hopes that Annabeth could give him a few ideas. So far, they had not found time to talk.

"Whenever I get stressed out by looking at too many files, I don't bang my head on a table," Percy said. Frank slowly turned and smiled at Percy. He had totally forgotten that the door behind him was open. "We don't really have any paperwork here at Camp Half-Blood, other than the contracts Mr. D tried to get us to sign that promised he could turn us into dolphins if we didn't leave him alone."

"Sorry," Frank said. He smiled sheepishly and looked at the files. Somehow, it looked like it had gotten bigger. A mug of hot chocolate was placed in front of him, and Annabeth sat nearby. "You didn't see that too, did you?"

"I didn't see it, but I heard it," Annabeth replied. She gave him a gentle smile. Frank looked at the hot chocolate and gently grabbed the mug. Percy placed another one down. "We were expecting Reyna to be here as well. Did she get too scared to come to a Greek camp?"

"She'll be here soon," Frank replied. He smiled at them and then looked back the files. "I was suppose to have this done a few days ago though. I thought it would be a lot easier, and then, I closed my eyes for two seconds. I woke with Hazel told me that it was time to head over here. I've been trying to get this done on the drive over, but it was impossible."

"I feel it," Percy said. He smiled and placed a hand to Frank's shoulder. "Why don't you take a break for a couple of minutes? These files aren't going to go anywhere, and they're not going to get any smaller. Dinner is soon anyway, and none of the Greeks or Romans have tried to kill each other yet."

"That's always a plus," Frank muttered. He slowly stood and followed the two older demigods out of the Big House. The Romans had only arrived thirty minutes ago, so it wasn't like the Romans really had time to mingle with the Greeks. It wasn't that he was hoping there would be a fight. He was just kind of expecting one.

The three of them walked towards the dinner pavilion. Annabeth motioned to a table and pointed out that it was for the Romans. Frank nodded and glanced around looking for the Romans. They had brought five centurions along, and his eyes were looking around for a certain one.

Frank continued to walk, but his eyes focused on the hill that signified the boundary of Camp Half-Blood. The dragon that guarded the Golden Fleece was curled up around the tree, and the fleece was glittering in the sun. Frank had heard the story once or twice, but it still amazed him.

Looking up at the sky told Frank that it was a nice, peaceful day. If he pushed the paperwork out of his mind, he could actually relax. Frank glanced to her right and spoke, "Annabeth, do you think you can help me with looking over the renovations for the temples? I don't know a lot about architecture or really anything about temples."

"Are we really asking the Greeks for help with Roman temples? What would you father say?" a voice asked. Frank quickly turned around and let out a deep breath. His fellow praetor met his eyes and crossed her arms, but there was a small smile on her face.

"Annabeth knows a lot about architecture. She helped out with Olympus after all," Frank began. He could feel himself starting to sweat. The last thing he needed was for Reyna to think he couldn't do his job. A lot of people already seemed to think that, even if they would never say it to his face. Reyna noticed his look and let out a soft chuckle. Frank's shoulder relaxed slightly.

"You didn't finish the paperwork, did you?" Reyna asked. Frank looked down and rubbed the back of his neck. "Dakota owes me twenty dollars then. How are you doing, Greeks?"

"We're good, Roman. How are you?" Annabeth asked. There was a smile on her face. Frank glanced at his fellow praetor. Reyna look tired and was covered in mud, dirt, and monster dust. Frank frowned and met her eyes. Reyna gave him a small nod.

"I'll be fine, after a meal and some sleep," Reyna answered. She glanced down at herself. "I think a hot shower will be nice as well."

"You should have enough time before dinner. Do you have a change of clothes?" Annabeth asked. Reyna nodded, but they heard the sound of metal hitting metal. Frank slowly turned his head and looked at the noise. "Please tell me that is one of the Stoll' pranks."

Annabeth took off towards the sound. It sounded like it came from the cabins, but Frank didn't know the layout of the camp enough to know which specific cabin it was. They passed by a cabin that assaulted Frank's nostrils. It took him a moment to clear his mind and focus on not being distracted by the cabin. All of his attention snapped back to reality as a pilum flew by his face.

"What is going on?" Reyna demanded. She slowly pulled the pilum out of the wall and studied it. Frank glanced at the three centurions and three Greek demigods that were in front of him. All three centurions were covered in something that could have been ash or maybe gray paint. Reyna walked towards the centurion that was standing in the middle, and she held out the pilum. "Centurion, I believe this is yours."

After a moment of silence, the centurion, who went by the name of Livia, grabbed onto the pilum and placed it onto her belt. Frank slowly looked at the three Greek demigods. He recognized the middle one as Clarisse La Rue. From the way she was standing and the hole in the cabin that was in front of her, she was definitely the target of the pilum.

Frank didn't recognize the other two campers, but he did notice their mischievous features. They had to be children of Mercury. Frank glanced to his left. Annabeth and Percy was standing only a foot apart. Percy leaned in close to Annabeth and spoke, "You did ask for it to be one of the Stoll's pranks.

Annabeth elbowed Percy hard and gave him a look. Frank looked away from the two and looked at Reyna. The daughter of Bellona was staring a hole into the centurion in front of her. Reyna finally glanced at Frank and gave him a small nod.

"What happened?" Frank asked. Everyone turned to look at him, but Frank focused his attention on the two children of Mercury. They had to be the Stoll brothers

"Travis had a surprise planned," one of the Stoll brothers replied. He rubbed his neck and glanced to his right. The other Stoll, Travis, returned his gaze. "It kind of got a little out of hand."

"Praetors, we can explain," Leila said. She was a centurion of the third cohort and usually the most levelheaded of all of the centurions. "The Stoll brothers told us they had a surprise, and well, they shot a confetti cannon at us. The cannon was filled with paint."

"And ash from the battle," Nathan added. Frank let out a deep breath and glanced at Reyna. His eyes closed. Why would anyone think that would be a good idea? "As you can see, it didn't go over so well, and the daughter of Mars only egged her on."

"I was speaking the truth," Clarisse said. "That little weasel was a coward. He deserved to die a more painful death."

"The Romans haven't even been here for a hour, and you're already pulling pranks on them?" Annabeth demanded. She stepped forward and glared at the Stoll brothers. "Why did you two think that was a good idea? You shouldn't disrespect the dead."

"It was a little shortsighted. Connor and I are willing to admit that. I don't even remember setting it up, but I do remember it was suppose to be funny. It's not so funny now," Travis said. Annabeth glanced at Percy and nodded. Percy returned the nod and led the Stoll brothers away. Annabeth glanced at Clarisse, and after a moment, the daughter of Mars stalked away.

"Go," Frank ordered. He glanced at Nathan and Leila. After a moment, the two centurions nodded and walked away. Frank took a deep breath and looked at Livia. "You attacked a Greek demigod, in their camp. I know what they did crosses a line, but what you did was unforgivable."

"I only regret that I missed," Livia said. She looked down at the pilum and took a shaky breath. After a moment, Livia looked up. Her hands were shaking, but she tried to hide it by moving her hands behind her back.

Reyna slowly looked at Frank, and he gave her a small nod. They both knew that they were in a delicate situation, and it would require a delicate solution. Reyna bowed her head towards Frank, as if to give him the floor. He almost wanted to give it back.

"We cannot attack our allies. This is a chance to make a good, first impression," Frank said. He wanted to take a deep breath to calm himself. Instead, he met Livia's eyes and stared a hole into her. "Your entire cohort will be punished for your actions, as you are their leader and representation. For now, you will skip dinner and guard the Golden Fleece.

"They have a dragon for that," Livia argued. Frank looked at her and kept his face clear of emotions. Livia really didn't have any outbursts, as she mostly just slunk around in the background. He wasn't sure how to handle the behavior, but he knew it would be best to remove the problem from the equation.

"I hope he doesn't see you as a treat then. One of us will come find you, later, Dismissed," Frank said. Livia glared at him, but she turned and stormed away. Frank finally let out his deep breath and looked at the demigods that were near him. Reyna gave him a small nod. Annabeth was watching closely, and she had been rejoined by Percy.

"Not bad, Zhang. I'll let you decide the cohort's punishment too," Reyna said. She glanced at Annabeth. "We should tell Chiron what happened, and I will have a talk with the other centurions."

Frank nodded and watched the girls walk away. He glanced towards the hill. Livia was standing at the top of the hill and seemed to be eyeing the dragon near her. Peleus was staring at Livia, and it almost looked like he was licking his lips. Frank spoke, "Peleus won't actually eat her, will he?"

"Probably not," Percy commented. Frank let out another breath and nodded. He really didn't want to explain to Lupa that a centurion had been eaten by a dragon. Percy nudged Frank and led him toward the dinner pavilion. "That centurion looks pretty familiar. I don't think she was a centurion when I was at Camp Jupiter though."

"She wasn't," Frank confirmed. He glanced back towards the hill. Livia had moved as far away from Peleus as she could. Frank shook his head and focused back on what was in front of him. "She was promoted during Octavian's little reign of terror. Reyna and I haven't been able to find a reason to have her demoted, as she's good at her job."

"If you don't include this," Percy commented. Frank nodded. "So, is she a child of Ares? No, she's not big enough to be. Don't tell me though. I like to play this guessing game. She's got weasel like features that I feel like I recognize. She doesn't seem to like Greeks, so is she a child of Roman god with no Greek equal?"

"No. She's a legacy of Apollo, as was her half brother," Frank said. Percy stopped walking and gave him a look. It took a moment for Frank to nod. "Yeah. She's Octavian's half sister. They have the same mother but different fathers. Livia and Octavian never acted close to each other, but she was clearly affected by his death."

"Why does Camp Jupiter have all of the crazies?" Percy commented. Frank shot him a look, and Percy smiled sheepishly. "Sorry. You know what I mean though. I don't know how you and Reyna keep all of it under control."

"I don't either," Frank admitted. He shook his head. When he had first became a praetor, Reyna told him to take one thing at a time. If he became overwhelmed, it would make him ineffective and would make him seem weak. Frank had taken the advice to heart and did his best to take everything one at a time, which meant he was going to focus on dinner and then Livia.


	2. You Want More Than Blood

"You really should go to sleep," Frank began. He glanced up from the files that he was going through. All of the files about revamping the temples were put away and replaced by files about upcoming activities between the two camps. Somehow, that pile was bigger than the one he had a few hours ago. "You still look exhausted."

"I'm fine," Reyna said. She glanced at Frank. Her normally black eyes had taken on a lighter shade, so they almost looked brown. Her eyes closed for a moment, and she sighed tiredly. Reyna rested her head on her hand and stared down at the file in front of her. Despite how tired she looked, it also seemed like she was lost in thought. "We should go get Livia."

Frank nodded and signed off on a few of the files. He shoved the stack into his duffel bag. He slowly stood. It was almost annoying that they had just arrived at Camp Half-Blood, only to turn back around that same night. Their trip was just a test to see how long and dangerous the journey to and from would be, but that didn't stop him from being a little annoyed.

"Off so soon?" Chiron asked. Frank slowly turned to look at the Centaur. Chiron gave both of them a kind smile. Frank returned it and picked up his duffel bag. He was starting to regret not taking a nap earlier that day, but he could probably allow one of the centurions to drive while he slept.

"Yes," Reyna replied. She bowed her head towards Chiron. "We appreciate the hospitality that you have extended. I apologize for Livia's behavior, but I hope this won't effect future visits."

"It was a honor to have all of the Romans here. I have talked to Connor and Travis, and they claim to not even remember setting up the prank, but they do recall it sounding hilarious, in their words of course," Chiron said. He looked away and almost seemed annoyed. "It was very disrespectful of the two, and they will be punished appropriately."

"Livia will also be punished for her reaction. Centurions should have more control than that," Reyna said. Frank nodded his agreement. Reyna glanced at him. "Speaking of Livia, I will go and retrieve her. We should be leaving soon."

"Are you sure that you do not want to stay the night?" Chiron asked. Frank glanced at Reyna and studied her for a reaction. She looked as tired as he felt. Driving while tired would probably only lead to trouble, and his idea of giving the wheel to a centurion was starting to sound like a bad idea. Only Dakota and Livia knew how to drive, and he didn't really trust either of them, for two very different reasons.

"I guess a few hours couldn't hurt," Frank began. Reyna studied him and finally nodded. She made a motion towards the door, and when Frank returned the nod, his fellow praetor left the room. "I'll make sure that we keep Livia separated from the others."

"You can all stay here in the Big House," Chiron offered. Frank nodded and eyed the room. He was tempted to just clear off the table and fall asleep on it. Frank shook his head and followed Chiron to another room. There was five beds spread around the room, as if Chiron knew they would be staying before he even offered.

"Thank you," Frank said. He placed his duffel bag on the ground and allowed himself to stretch. The rest of the centurions were mingling with the other cabins. He knew Leila had gone straight to Athena's cabin, as she didn't seem to believe that the goddess had Greek children. Dakota had gone off with Percy, and gods knew the camp would be in trouble if someone didn't keep an eye on the two. Nathan had gone to either the Ares or Hephaestus cabin.

Someone hugged him from behind, and Frank jumped in surprise. He turned around and met Piper's eyes. Frank smiled and hugged his friend back. It had been over a month since the two had last spoken. Piper pulled away and gave him a bright smile.

"Hazel joked that you were hiding from me. I had to hunt you down for myself," Piper said. She glanced around the room. "It looks pretty cozy. I told Chiron you could stay in our cabin. Some of my siblings think you're cute, and they would love to give you a makeover."

"I'll have to pass," Frank began. Piper gave him a knowing smile, and she looked at Chiron. The Centaur gave both of them a kind smile. "Do you either of you know where Hazel went? I haven't seen her since dinner."

"She's hanging out with Nico. They've been attached at the hip ever since the sing along at the campfire," Piper said. She laughed. "You and Reyna looked so uncomfortable. Dakota was singing his heart out. I thought he did great."

"I just hope he tired himself out," Frank admitted. He could probably pull rank and get a bed to himself, but if he did have to share, it wouldn't be with Dakota. Frank still had nightmares about sleeping in the same barracks as Dakota. "Percy and Dakota haven't ruined the camp, have they?"

"Not yet," Piper asked. Frank smiled, but it was soon lost as he saw Livia step into the room. The centurion glanced at him and then walked towards the bed that was at the far corner of the room. Livia brought her hand to her neck and seemed to struggle to pull out the hood that was hiding underneath her armor.

"We saved you a plate of food. They kept it warm," Frank began. Livia slowly looked at him, and instead of responding, she threw her hood over her head. Livia laid on the bed and turned her back to them. "You should eat something."

"Not hungry," Livia muttered. Frank sighed and looked away. He met Piper's eyes and shook his head. The story of what had happened spread around the camp quickly. Everyone had spent most of their dinner staring at the Roman table or at the Stoll brothers. Frank had done his best to ignore the looks and focus on the food.

"I'll see you later," Piper said. She gave Frank a tight hug and left the room with Chiron. Frank was left alone with his sulking centurion. He tried to think of something to say, but upon thinking it over, he knew there was nothing he could say. Frank sighed and sat down on a bed. Someone jumped on the bed next to him.

"We're bed buddies now," Dakota said. He threw an arm around Frank and pulled him close. "Do you remember the time that we flooded the barracks and all had to share beds? I thought Reyna was going to make us sleep outside."

"Instead, we all got to take turns sharing a bed with you. I'm still amazed we managed to pull Gwen away from you, before she finished smothering you with the pillow," Frank said. Dakota smiled and pulled out a large bottle of a red liquid. Frank stared at the solid inch of sugar that had yet to dissolve. "You are not drinking that before bed."

"That Connor kid gave it to me," Dakota answered. He started to open the bottle, but Frank grabbed onto his hands. Nathan came from the side and tore the bottle out of Dakota's hands. "Wait. Give it back!"

"Pour it out," Frank ordered. Dakota gasped and looked at Frank. He tried to speak, but it came out in stutters. "I am not going to share a bed, let alone a room, with you, if any of that drink touches your lips. I will actually make you sleep outside."

"That's fine by me," Dakota said. He went to stand, but Frank held him down. Dakota tried to struggle with him, but Frank easily pinned the centurion to the bed. "This is so uncool. I've been on my best behavior today."

"Finish strong then," Hazel commented. She stepped into the room and shot Frank a bright smile. Frank smiled back, but the smile was lost as he was shoved off of Dakota. "Are we staying here for the night?"

"It's like the good old days," Dakota commented. He looked around the room. "The three of us are united once again, and Nathan is still wishing he was with the cool kids. Cranky over there is still cranky. Everything is how it should be."

"Good luck," Nathan commented. He stretched out on his bed and yelped as something flew through the door and hit him in the head. Leila laughed and walked into the room carrying blankets. Reyna followed behind with pillows.

Frank was happy to see that there was enough pillows for each of them, but he counted only five blanket. Dakota seemed to realize it too, and he grinned wickedly. Frank sighed and laid back on the bed. Hopefully, Dakota would at least give him half the blanket.

A pillow and blanket dropped on Frank's chest. He looked up and gave Reyna a nod. Reyna returned it and laid down on the bed closest to the door. She only took up half the bed, clearly making room for whoever want to join her. After a silent debate between Hazel and Leila, it was Hazel who took up the empty space.

"Can we share a bed time story or sing a bed time song?" Dakota asked. Frank rolled his eyes and rested the pillow behind his head. He tried to grab onto the blanket, but Dakota snatched it from him. "Your generosity is something that other former praetors envy."

Dakota turned his back to Frank and hummed softly. It took a moment of staring, but Frank reached out to grab a piece of the blanket. Dakota had a tight grip on it. This had to be revenge for getting rid of the pure sugar that Dakota was trying to drink.

As Frank sent a glare into the back of Dakota's head, he slowly closed his eyes. All he wanted to do was fall asleep and wake up back at Camp Jupiter. It wasn't that he didn't want to be at Camp Half-Blood or the fact that he would be stuck in the van for two days. It was because of Dakota. If Frank had to spend another minute with Dakota being annoying, he would strangle the centurion.

Frank let out a deep breath and turned on his side. From the sounds around the room, it seemed like the rest of the Romans were slowly falling asleep. Reyna and Hazel seemed to be actually sharing their blanket, as they weren't savages. Leila was staring at the ceiling but slowly blinking, as if she was on the verge of sleep. Nathan was already snoring. The only person who hadn't moved an inch was Livia, but with her back to Frank, he couldn't tell if she was awake or not.

Frank finally forced himself to close his eyes. He was still tired, but irritation at Dakota kept him awake. His mind also went back to the incident that had happened between Livia and the Stoll brothers. Why had they thought it was a good idea? The story would spread around Camp Jupiter, and there was no telling what the reaction would be.

There was a very mixed opinion on Octavian, but it was something that wasn't debated in public. It was one of the forbidden topics you would only bring up when you spoke with close friends during dinner. Disrespecting the dead was one thing that wouldn't be forgiven easily though. Frank sighed. It felt like they didn't even have a chance to truly begin with good relations. If there was one bright side, it was that the Romans didn't fire a warship on the Greeks.

Frank sighed tiredly. He didn't even realize he had fallen asleep, until he found himself laying on a marble floor. Frank slowly stood and looked around the room that he was in. The ceiling seemed to be thirty feet above him, as if the gods themselves walked in the room.

The walls around the temple were crumbling and covered in scratches in stains. It seemed as if many fights had happened in the temple. Frank took a step forward, and his foot hit something. He looked down and stared at the pile of skeletons at his feet. A look around the rest of the ground showed it was covered with rusted weapons and armor.

His eyes slowly moved around the rest of room. There was a statue at the far end of the room. The figure depicted by the statue was staring up at the sky, as if asking for penance. A hood obscured the statue's face, but going by the build, it was a woman. At the foot of the statue laid a broken scale, which was covered in a crimson color.

Frank walked closer to the statue. He saw someone else was kneeling by the statue. They too wore a cloak that covered their body, but they couldn't have been older than a child. Frank stared and walked a few feet closer. They were kneeling in front of a small bowl that seemed to be stuck to the ground.

The cloaked figure slowly stood. They held a broken javelin in their hands, but it was almost too big for them. The cloak figure look up at the sky and seemed to speak, but Frank couldn't tell what they were saying. The cloaked figure suddenly looked down and spiked the javelin into the ground near the bowl.

"Blood is always repaid in blood," a voice said. It seemed to come from the statue itself. The cloaked figure looked up and collapsed to her hands and knees "You want more than blood. You want rubble. What can you give me?"

"Everything," the cloaked figure said. They grabbed the javelin from the ground and cut deeply into their hand. Blood slowly trickled from their hand and hit the bowl. As it did, the world around Frank changed. He felt flames licking at his skin, as it consumed the room he was in.

Frank tried to step backwards, but his body refused to move. The burning wall in front of him collapsed, and it showed an even larger building that was on fire. He heard screams all around him, along with cries of agony. Frank wanted to run forward and help those that were screaming. Instead, he felt pain in his leg. Frank looked down and saw fire was slithering up his leg.

Before the fire could consume him, Frank's eyes snapped open. He took deep breaths and stared at the ceiling. A glance at his watch showed that it was three in the morning. He had been asleep for four hours, but it felt like a year. Frank laid his head back and glanced at Dakota.

Somehow, Dakota was still asleep and snoring softly. Frank slowly sat up and looked around. He was surprised to see Reyna sitting up as well. She looked just as terrible as Frank felt. Frank spoke, "You okay?"

"Nightmare," Reyna muttered. She brought her knees to her chest and stared down at the ground. Reyna sighed and rested her head on her knees. "What about you?"

"Nightmare," Frank said. He looked back at the ceiling. All of the other Romans seemed to be asleep. Frank closed his eyes, but mentally, he wasn't tired anymore. His body ached, as if it had been him caught in the fire. "So much for a good night of sleep."

"Yeah," Reyna agreed. The two fell into a peaceful silence. Frank was trying to process his dream. He knew that demigod dreams could mean numerous things, but never before had they been that vivid. His mind instantly shot to the stick that controlled his life. Was the fire in the dream some kind of warning? Should he ask Reyna about her dream?

They both heard the sound of a bed squeaking. Frank turned his head and watched Livia roll out of the bed. She pulled back her hood and looked at them. Somehow, Livia looked worse than Frank felt. Her eyes were baggy and almost a little red. Had she been crying?

"What do you need, centurion?" Reyna asked. Livia slowly looked at them. She shook her head and rubbed her eyes.

"Fresh air," Livia muttered. She threw the hood back over her head and walked out of the room. Frank went to stand, but Reyna just shook her head. She slowly laid back on the bed and stared up at it. Reyna looked like she was lost in thought.

"We should go after her," Frank began. He started to stand, but something stopped him. The situation with Livia felt like a ticking time bomb. Maybe, it would be best to give her time to cool down. Frank frowned. He could have sworn that Percy mentioned there was a curfew enforced by Harpies, and it didn't look like he was joking.

"She just needs time to calm down. We should try to sleep for a few more hours, or I might actually strap Dakota to the top of the van for the entire trip," Reyna said. Frank smiled. Reyna closed her eyes. Frank laid back as well and stared at the ceiling. It took forever, but he managed to fall into a peaceful sleep.


	3. Another Test for Him

**Thank you for all of the follows, favorites, and reviews.**

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"Dakota, you have a twenty dollar limit," Frank called. He watched Dakota give him a wicked grin, before disappearing inside the dingy gas station. The neon signage on the front of the building was flickering, and half of the lights in the front window were out. If Frank was alone, he would have been a little concerned with how the place looked.

It didn't help that it was the middle of the night, and they had been driving for about a day now. They were only halfway through their trip, and Frank was a little more than cranky. He had been driving the entire time, allowing Reyna to sleep. She was going to take over for him though.

Frank glanced inside and saw an old woman at the counter. They were definitely in trouble. Frank sighed and turned back towards the gas pump. A glance to his right showed that Reyna was kneeling by one of the tires.

"It's running low on air," Reyna commented. She glanced up at Frank and looked around. Frank looked around as well. There was only four gas pumps, and at the far edge of the parking lot, there was an air pump that looked like it hadn't been used since before Frank was born. Reyna slowly stood and walked towards the air pump. Her hand rested against her sword.

Frank glanced away and pulled a golden credit card out of his pocket. He inserted it into the gas pump and glanced back at Reyna. No monsters had jumped out to attack her, which was a good thing. Frank heard a beep and pulled the card out of the machine. He started to pump gas into their van.

Another glance up showed that Reyna was walking back towards him. She shook her head and motioned to the air pump. Frank nodded. Hopefully, the tire wouldn't run out of air while they were driving. Then again, Frank hadn't seen the light for it pop up.

"We'll have to find the next gas station and stop at it," Frank said. He heard the pump stop, and he glanced down. Frank pulled the nozzle out and set it back into the gas pump. A glance towards the building showed that Dakota had an arm full of snacks. "He's going to spend more than twenty."

"That's why we don't give him a credit card," Reyna commented. She glanced at the building as well. They both watched Hazel grab onto Dakota's shoulder and talk to him. It looked like she was convincing him to put some of the snacks away. Frank glanced to their right and saw that Livia was leaning on the van and glaring at the ground.

Frank looked away and saw that the two other centurions were practically dragging Dakota out of the gas station. Hazel was shaking her head and paying for snacks that looked to be less than a quarter of what Dakota had first grabbed.

"We need food," Dakota complained. He looked at the two who were dragging him back to the van. Nathan rolled his eyes and escorted Dakota back into the van. "We are going to starve."

"We can get fast food, if you don't annoy our lovely praetors," Lelia said. She glanced at Frank and shook her head. Frank had to stop from smiling. He appreciated that Dakota had toned everything down, but he was still the worst person to go on a road trip with.

"If you all behave yourselves, I can bring it up to Reyna. You have to behave though," Frank warned. He gave Dakota a pointed look. Dakota rolled his eyes.

"I didn't get into a fight with the Greeks, did I?" Dakota asked. Livia glared and shoved past him. She climbed back into the van and sat in the far corner by herself. "Spoilsport always has to ruin the party. This is why we don't invite the second cohort anywhere."

"Has it occurred to you that we were visiting the place her brother died at?" Lelia asked. Dakota's shoulder seemed to deflate, and he looked down. Nathan cleared his throat and climbed into the van. "You should sit away from her though, Dakota. She might throw you through the window again."

"You say the wrong thing one time," Dakota muttered. Frank shook his head and saw movement out of the corner of his eye. He turned and helped Hazel with the bags of snacks.

"I spent less than twenty and got grape soda for Dakota. I got jellybeans for my favorite praetor too," Hazel said. She gave Reyna a smile, and Reyna returned it. Hazel tossed a bag of jellybeans towards Reyna, who caught it and climbed into the driver's seat.

Frank nodded to Hazel and sat in the passenger seat. He heard Hazel climb into the van and pass around the snacks. A bag of chips was thrown towards him. Frank caught it and glanced back. Most of the centurions were gathered around a bag of chips that Hazel had bought. Livia was sitting by herself and staring out the window.

"We'll stop at a restaurant tonight," Reyna said. "If any of you are annoying during this drive, I swear to the gods we are not buying you dessert. Is that understood?"

"Hear that Dakota? You better behave," Nathan teased. Dakota threw a chip at him, and Reyna gave both of them a scathing look. Nathan held his hands up and settled back in his seat. Reyna focused back on the road and started to drive.

Frank settled back in his seat and looked out the window. The first official meeting with Camp Half-Blood had gone well, other than the whole attempted murder thing. They were going to have their ups and downs though. All they needed to do was handle it correctly.

Frank glanced behind him. Livia was still staring out the window, and there was no emotion on her face. She looked tired, but that was the most Frank could see. He sighed and looked out the window. As they passed by the hundredth tree, his eyes grew heavy, and he fell into a peaceful sleep.

* * *

When Frank heard a popping sound and a curse, his eyes snapped open. He quickly looked around and felt the van come to a sudden stop. Reyna cursed and looked at him. Frank slowly looked around and then looked behind them.

"I think we have a flat," Dakota began. Frank shook his head and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. Reyna sent a glare back at Dakota. Nathan looked at them and then peeked out the window. It was still dark, and Frank didn't feel like he had been asleep for long. "I really didn't mean to jinx us."

"Stay," Reyna ordered. She got out of the van and walked around the front. Frank hesitated for a moment, but upon realizing the order wasn't meant for him, he opened his door and followed. Frank stepped out of the van and closed the door. He knelt by Reyna and examined the tire. It looked like their was a small gash in the tire, so they must have hit a glass or something sharp on the road.

"Is this why Jason told me to not have you drive?" Frank questioned. Reyna gave him a sharp look. Frank winced and looked back at the tire. Reyna walked towards the back of the van "He said you got into a wreck before."

"We got into a wreck because Jason made a monster angry. It was his fault," Reyna said. She opened the back of the van. Frank walked up behind her and helped her move the duffel bags out of the way. She lifted a tire iron, and for a moment, Frank thought she was going to hit him with it.

"Patrol and watch our backs. I don't want to get attacked by a monster," Reyna said. Her eyes glanced at the centurions. Then, she looked back at the van and examined the tire iron. Reyna handed it to Frank and looked back up. "Why are all of you still in the van? I thought I told you to patrol."

Before Frank could blink, the five centurions were out of the van. Livia stopped by them and grabbed her backpack. She sent a glare to Frank and stalked towards the forest. Frank shook his head and walked towards the tire. He knelt by it and started to loosen the lug nuts.

Frank let out a soft groan and slowly managed to loosen one of the lug nuts. He twisted it out and realized he had three more to go. Reyna knelt by him and started to jack up the van. The two of them worked in silence for a few moments.

After Reyna raised the van, she stepped away and came back with the tire. Reyna placed it by Frank and spoke, "I'm going to check the forest. I have a bad feeling. If something attacks you, make sure to scream for help."

"Thanks," Frank muttered. He glanced at Reyna and watched her stop at the trunk of the van. He shook his head and focused back on changing the tire. He was grateful that Percy and Jason had convinced them to go driving around in Percy's car. The son of Poseidon managed to get a flat in record time, and Frank learned how to change a tire.

Frank managed to remove all of the lug nuts, and he removed the tire from the van. He let out a deep breath and turned to grab another tire. His heart jumped as he saw someone standing over him. Livia pushed the tire towards him and helped him put it in.

"Thanks," Frank began. Livia didn't respond and instead leaned on the van. Her eyes shot around the forest. Frank slowly looked away from the centurion and focused on changing the tire. "I thought you were suppose to be on patrol."

"A Roman never turns their back to the dark," Livia replied. Frank glanced at her and tried to figure out if the words were meant as an insult or not. He decided on letting it go and finishing with the tire. He used the jack to lower the van, and he carried the jack and tire iron to the back of the van. Livia followed behind with the flat tire.

"Do you want to talk?" Frank asked. Livia slowly looked at him. Then, she picked the tire up and threw it into the back of the van. Livia took a deep breath and crossed her arms. "We can talk about what happened."

"I know exactly what happened," Livia muttered. She uncrossed her arms, and they all heard a yell. Frank turned around and grabbed his sword. Then, he heard a loud laughing. Frank frowned. His answer appeared as Dakota came running out of the forest.

"Protect me from Leila. I may have made her mad," Dakota said. He jumped behind Frank and Livia, and he placed both hands to Livia's shoulders, using her a shield. Livia tensed and let out a noise that sounded like a growl.

"Get your hands off me," Livia snapped. She turned on Dakota and shoved him in the van. Dakota glared and cleaned his shoulders off. Livia gave him a deadly glare, and they all watched Leila walk into the clearing. She was holding a rubber snake in one hand and Nathan's ear in the other. Nathan was making pained noises, as he tried to keep up with Leila.

Dakota barely dodged the rubber snake that was thrown at him. Leila shoved Nathan towards him and spoke, "You two are such jerks! You could have alerted all of the monsters in the area. Would it have been worth it? Wait, don't answer that. Get back in the van."

"You're not my praetor," Dakota began. When he saw the look Frank gave him, he winced. Then, he looked at the treeline and paled. Dakota was back in the van faster than Frank could blink. Frank slowly looked and saw Reyna walked towards them, with Hazel in tow.

"We heard a scream. Is everyone okay?" Hazel asked. Leila grabbed the snake from the ground and threw it at the van's window, right where Dakota was sitting.

"In the van," Reyna ordered. She watched the demigods file into the van. Hazel had the unfortunate fate of sitting between Dakota and Leila. It seemed like Leila would throttle Dakota at any moment. "It's like dealing with children."

"They are children. We all are," Frank began. Reyna looked at him. He expected her to look annoyed. Instead, she almost looked a little sad. "They know when to be serious, but we should let them hang onto their childhood for all long as we can."

"Not all of us have a childhood to hang onto," Reyna muttered. She looked away and stared at the ground. Frank opened his mouth but couldn't make words come out. This was the most unguarded Reyna had been with him ever since he became a praetor. "Where should we go to eat?"

"I know this really cool restaurant," Frank began. The moment had passed, but there had been a moment. Reyna was actually starting to let him in. All he needed to do was play it cool. He slowly climbed into the van. Reyna sat in the driver's seat and glanced at him. Frank smiled at her, and then, he looked behind him. "Dakota's not getting any dessert though."

"Oh come on," Dakota complained. He crossed his arms. "We all know that I'm your favorite centurion, Frank. I'm sure that I am Reyna's as well. You guys are just joking, right?"

"Gods, you are so annoying," Leila said, but there was a small smile on her face. Nathan laughed, and most of the tension in the van seemed to disappear. Frank was looking up at the rear view mirror, and he didn't miss the way that Livia's eyes narrowed. He also didn't miss the way that she looked down at her hands, and a small, cruel smile came to her face. It disappeared after a moment, and she looked out the window.

Frank looked down at his lap. He was sure that what he had seen didn't really mean anything. Livia was probably just thinking of something terrible to do to Dakota during the next set of games. Frank sighed and rested his head back against the headrest

"You should rest," Reyna commented. Frank glanced at his fellow praetor. Reyna didn't look at him, and while her eyes were focused on the road, it seemed like her mind was a million miles away. "You still have to prepare the feast for the Pax Romana, remember? You'll need your rest for that."

Frank nodded and looked out the window. The Pax Romana was a celebration they held every year to celebrate the two hundred and six years of peace that reigned through the Roman empire. They held a feast and a celebration that lasted twenty hours and six minutes, with no fighting involved. It had fallen on Frank to prepare the feast, since he was the newest praetor. It was another test for him.

Frank sighed and rested his head against the window. The Pax Romana was the perfect opportunity for anyone who had a problem with Camp Jupiter to try and take revenge. If they were attacked, they couldn't defend themselves. As far as Frank knew, they had only been attacked a few times throughout the many decades that they had been observing the peace, and they had always been able to hold out long enough for the observation period to end. He just didn't want to be the first praetor to ruin that.

"Relax," Reyna said. Frank glanced at her. Reyna glanced back at him. "The senior praetor always takes precautions to make sure nothing happens. That is part of the reason I was helping Diana. We'll be fine this year."

"I know. I'm just still nervous," Frank admitted, in a whisper. Reyna gave him a sad smile and focused on the road. The words would never leave her lips, and while Reyna's eyes never betrayed her, Frank knew his fellow praetor well enough. She was nervous too. Frank sighed and looked out the window. He just had to keep his faith and wits about him. If he did, nothing bad would happen.


	4. Not All of Them Go Easily

If Thalia was being honest with herself, her day was going absolutely terrible. It all started with the terrible nightmares. For the past few days, she had been remembering the day she had almost died protecting Annabeth and Luke. Each dream felt like she was back in that moment in time, and every night, she woke with a beating heart.

Now, Thalia was busy throwing up her guts. She took a shaky breath and slowly leaned against the nearest tree. She had eaten at a diner with the other Hunters of Artemis the night before. One of them had joked that they had gotten food poisoning from the diner a few years before. Now, it didn't seem like that much of a joke.

Thalia wiped her mouth and took a sip of water from her canteen. She spat it out and wiped her mouth once again. Thalia let out a deep sigh and slowly walked back towards the clearing that she had left the other Hunters of Artemis in. Thalia heard the crunching of snow under her boots, and she tugged at the neckline of her parka.

Everything felt like it was on fire. Thalia was sure that it was just her jacket though, and it was probably some of the food poisoning too. She just needed to strip of her layers and lay in a nice, cool tent. As Thalia made it into the clearing, she realized that she wasn't going to get her wish.

Her lady, Artemis, was sitting at the camp fire and tending to it. Most of the other Hunters of Artemis were asleep in their tents, and their wolves paced around the outside. A few Hunters were sitting around the fire and roasting marshmallows. Another lady was standing behind Artemis and examining a marshmallow that was on fire, but the flames didn't seem to effect her.

"You just eat these?" the woman asked. Artemis glanced behind her, and it almost seemed like a small smile had appeared on her face. The woman next to her finally placed her whole hand and the burning marshmallow back into the fire. After a few moments, she removed her hand and popped the marshmallow into her mouth.

"I mean technically you do eat them," a Hunter answered. The Hunter, Mia, glanced at Thalia and shook her head. Thalia blinked a few times. Was she just hallucinating from being sick? Who was the strange woman who didn't know how marshmallows worked?

"Lady Artemis, I was not expecting you back so early," Thalia greeted. She slowly sat by the fire and let out a tired sigh. Artemis studied her and lost the small smile she had. Thalia closed her eyes and just wanted to curl up. If she pressed her face to the snow, she might be able to fall asleep.

"Matters always seem to be resolved quicker, if a demigod helps. Bellona was kind enough to loan us one of her children, and it expedited the process," the woman said. She looked at Mia. "Can I have another one of those meshfellows?"

Mia opened her mouth, as if to correct the woman. Instead, she let out a small chuckle and placed a few marshmallows on a stick. She handed the stick to the woman and glanced at Thalia. It took a moment for Thalia to look at Artemis.

"I am just glad all of that nasty business is behind us. I hate having to drag a demigod back into their past like that," the woman said. After glancing at Mia, she placed the marshmallows above the fire. "Praxidike has been getting out of control lately, and I cannot believe she would target Blackbeard of all people."

"Woah. Like Blackbeard the pirate? Is that the Blackbeard we're talking about?" Kim, another Hunter, asked. Her mouth was full of marshmallows, and it caused Artemis to shoot her a sharp look. Kim blushed and swallowed painfully. "Why were you trying to hunt down the pirate, and who exactly is Praxidike?"

"Lady Themis and I were contacted by Ares. He requested that we find Praxidike and get her under control. Praxidike is a goddess of justice, but she is under Lady Themis' command," Artemis explained.

"Many visitors come to my temple and ask for justice. I have a few goddesses that help represent my view of justice, and they also help keep the balance exactly how it must be," Themis explained. She looked at Thalia. "Praxidike is akin to you: a lieutenant, but she has been overreaching lately. Some of the justice that she has delivered has been overly harsh. She acts as if she is Nemesis."

"One of the visitors to my temple asked for revenge for the death of their sister. If I had allowed Praxidike to fulfill the request, it would have started a minor war in the Olympians. The poor girl just wanted to see vengeance enacted, but she wanted to target Blackbeard. He was given a pardon, if he can keep demigod pirates at bay," Themis continued.

"Demigod pirates?" Mia asked. She stared at Themis and then slowly looked at Artemis. Mia didn't even seem to notice that her marshmallows were burning to a crisp. "There are demigod pirates?"

"Yes. Blackbeard can keep them at bay, as they fear his name," Artemis said. Her eyes glanced at Thalia, as if she knew that something was wrong with Thalia. "The praetor knew the girl and was able to talk her down from her request. I was simply there in case things went wrong."

"Many demigods come to my temple to find revenge. They act as if a prayer and sacrifice can solve all of their problems. I can only help those who truly deserve it. The rest I give to those under my command, to handle fairly and carefully. I recently had a visitor from Camp Jupiter who lost a half brother, and I couldn't help them. I hate not being able to help," Themis said. She looked down and sighed. Her eyes looked back up

"I apologize, Artemis. You have been a tremendous host, and I have been taking and taking without giving. I hate to ask another favor, but are you still willing to lend your Hunters to help me track down the spirit?" Themis asked. Artemis nodded once. Themis sighed and studied the marshmallows she had on the stick. "It's another one of Praxidike's messes. Hopefully, the spirit hasn't found a body."

"Found a body?" Kim asked. Her mouth was once again full of marshmallows, and some of it was starting to fall out, since her mouth was open in shock. Kim glanced at the girl next to her and nudged her. "Chelsea, did you hear that, or are you sleeping again?"

"No one can sleep with you munching on those burnt marshmallows," Chelsea answered. She glanced up at Artemis. "Why would the spirit need a body?"

"You are aware that gods and goddesses can fade away, but not all of them go easily into what is beyond. If they fight and try to stay, they will slowly lose their power and then their physical form," Artemis explained. "They linger as a spirit, but they can take on many forms."

"Some of the spirits will look for a host. If they find a host, they have access to all of their old powers and their host's powers, but the relationship must be approved by both sides," Artemis continued. "There is a flip side to this. If the host is killed, the spirit will be condemned to Tartarus. Some still attempt escapes, even fewer are successful. Some spirits can force their way into the weak willed."

"I watched a few of the exorcist movies. I got this," Kim said. Chelsea rolled her eyes and looked at Thalia. It took a moment for Thalia to shake her head. She really wasn't feeling that good and just sitting there wasn't helping any. Thalia took a large sip from her canteen.

"Most spirits can also latch onto an item," Artemis continued. "Sometimes, they will latch onto an item and a person. Unless the item is destroyed and the host is killed, the spirit will be able to survive. A few spirits can influence what you see and hear, if you possess the item they are attached to. We are hunting a spirit that possess bodies and is very violent. I am going to take a few of you and get a head start on finding this spirit. I do not want a repeat of the town from last month."

"Can we fight it?" Chelsea asked. Artemis nodded. Kim opened her mouth, but Chelsea nudged her and motioned for her to be quiet. Kim nudged her best friend back.

"We fought a spirit before. It was only a few months ago, before you joined," Kim said. She gave Chelsea a look. "It wasn't too bad, other than the fact that it was one of those children of Demeter that uses plants to fight. We managed to subdue him, and Lady Artemis took care of him."

"It wasn't pretty," Thalia added. Her throat instantly regretted talking. She took another long sip from her canteen and coughed miserably. Her throat felt like it was on fire. Well, her entire body felt like it was still on fire too. If there wasn't other people around, she would have just laid face first on the ground.

"Are you feeling okay?" Artemis asked. It took Thalia a moment to realize she was being talked to. After a moment, Thalia nodded. She couldn't let Artemis see how she was doing. All Thalia really needed was a nap, and everything would be fine.

"I'm okay. I just need some rest," Thalia said. She slowly stood and started to walk towards her tent. It was on her fifth step that the world spun, and she collapsed. Someone caught her and started speaking to her. Thalia groaned softly and blinked a few times. A bright light on her left caught her attention.

"Oh, she looks bad," Apollo commented. He entered Thalia's vision and stared down at her. "She looks really bad. Have you been overworking your Hunters again?"

"What is wrong with her?" Artemis demanded. Apollo sighed and placed a hand to Thalia's forehead. The god's hand pulled away almost immediately, and he made a face. Thalia blinked a few times and tried to speak. It came out as a groan.

"She's been poisoned," Apollo said. Thalia blinked a few more times and looked up at Apollo. The food poisoning wasn't that bad, was it? "This is some high grade stuff. I think this may have killed a few Roman emperors. Who did you gals make mad?"

"We haven't done anything," Artemis answered. She laid Thalia on the ground and gently grabbed her face. She turned and looked at the other Hunters. Thalia saw Artemis' mouth moving, but she really couldn't make out any of the words. A deep, pained breath caused her ears to pop, and she could hear normally again.

"Wait," Apollo said. He got extremely close to Thalia's face. She wanted to shove him away, but she really couldn't move her arms. "You were the one who got turned into a tree, right? That tree was poisoned years ago. Am I right?"

Thalia made a noise that was suppose to be a yes. Artemis' face appeared near Apollo's. She placed a gentle hand to Thalia's face and spoke, "Yes. The tree was poisoned by Luke Castellan, to draw Thalia out of the tree and give them another pawn in the prophecy. The poison was expelled when the Golden Fleece was placed on the tree.

"I wouldn't call it expelled," Apollo began. He looked at Thalia and gave her a bright smile. The smile was lost as soon as he looked at Artemis. "Sis, you should know that I am a poison expert, as it is a part of my job. The poison was not completely expelled. Instead, it was made dormant by the Golden Fleece and rendered useless."

"So, it shouldn't be a problem then. What is wrong with my lieutenant?" Artemis demanded. Thalia tried to speak, but she ended up coughing. She turned on her side and spat out blood. Apollo gently sat her up and looked into her eyes.

"Someone added something to the tree. The thing they added was harmless, unless another ingredient is combined with it. The poison that wasn't actually expelled is the final ingredient, and the two have combined. Now, one of the most dangerous poisons in the world is in that tree," Apollo explained.

"The Golden Fleece will slow it down then," Artemis said. Apollo frowned and seemed to think. "What is the cure for the poison?"

"I don't know," Apollo replied. Artemis shot him a sharp look. Apollo held his hands up. "It's a closely guarded Roman secret. Camp Jupiter would probably know. The real problem here, dear sister, is that your lieutenant's life is still connected to the tree that guards Camp Half-Blood. If the tree dies, Thalia will die as well."

"Get a message to Camp Half-Blood. Now," Artemis ordered. She looked to her right. Thalia heard snow crunching and heard someone run. Artemis looked down at Thalia. "We will find the cure. For now, you need to rest."


	5. Right from Under Their Noses

Annabeth stared at the wall in front of her. The Iris message had disappeared a minute ago, but all she could do was stare ahead. She was in a state of shock. How could the tree be poisoned, right under their noses? Peleus wouldn't allow anyone who wasn't a friend near the tree. How did someone manage to sneak past the dragon and poison the tree?

"Hey," Percy whispered. He nudged Annabeth's shoulder. It took Annabeth a moment to look at Percy, but she still couldn't get over her shock. Her best friend was dying, again. "Thalia's going to be okay. You heard what Apollo said about the Golden Fleece."

"Yeah," Annabeth muttered. She took a deep breath and tried to calm down. Her arms crossed, as her mind kicked into overdrive. They would need to get a sample of the poison to Camp Jupiter, but first, they would have to contact Camp Jupiter about the poison. Would the Romans actually have something at their camp, or would they have to go on the quest to find the cure? Annabeth was tired of quests, but for Thalia, she would travel to the ends of the earth.

"I'll tell Chiron about the tree and send a message to Frank. You get the sample, and we'll see if Nico is willing to use shadow travel to get us to Camp Jupiter. We'll find the cure, together," Percy promised. Annabeth nodded and looked back at the wall.

It took a deep breath and positive thoughts to stand from her chair. After a glance at Percy, she stepped out of the room and then out of the Big House. A glance at the sky told her the sun was just rising. Everyone would be waking soon and heading to breakfast. They would have to break the news about the tree.

Annabeth sighed and made her walk towards the hill. Her gaze focused on the tree. How long would the Golden Fleece keep the tree and Thalia alive for? Annabeth couldn't deal with not knowing exactly how long they had. She needed some kind of deadline. How long would it be until the barrier started to fail?

Someone appeared next to Annabeth, and she slowly turned her head. Grover gave her a kind smile, and Annabeth returned it. She took a moment to pull her friend into a tight hug. Annabeth spoke, "I haven't seen you in weeks."

"There was some Council of Cloven business that I had to take care of," Grove answered. He returned the hug and looked towards the hill. "I can sense that something is off. What's going on?"

"Thalia's tree was poisoned again, but this poison is a lot nastier than the first time around. I need to get a sample, so the Romans can examine it," Annabeth explained. Her eyes moved back towards the tree. Peleus was wrapped around the tree and facing away from the camp. It seemed like he was asleep. Annabeth hadn't been able to visit Peleus ever since the Romans visited, and it almost seemed like the dragon was pouting about it.

Annabeth's eyes moved to the Golden Fleece. For some reason, it didn't seem to catch the sun and glint like it normally did. Annabeth led Grover towards the tree. Peleus didn't stir, and he was letting out soft snores every few seconds. The snores sent small tremors through the ground.

"I'm glad he's not awake to see me as a treat," Grover commented. He slowly stepped over Peleus' tail and reached over the dragon's body. He placed a hand to the tree. "Do you remember when he tried to eat me?"

"It was a mistake. You were right near his mouth, and we were having barbecue that day," Annabeth said. Despite the situation, a small smile came to her face. Her eyes focused on the Golden Fleece. She gently placed a hand to the fleece. It didn't make her feel stronger, and it didn't have any warmth to it. A cold feeling settled in Annabeth's gut.

"That's why I only approach from the tail now. It gives me a chance to dive away," Grove commented. He glanced back at Annabeth. "Are you okay? Your face is pale."

Annabeth pulled the Golden Fleece off of the tree. As soon as it left the tree, the Golden Fleece transformed into a tarp. A visible rippled ran across the barrier around Camp Half-Blood, and Annabeth could see a light blue barrier that had visible holes in it. The barrier faded back to invisibility, but she knew that the holes would remain. Annabeth dropped the tarp in shock. Grover stared at her and picked the tarp up. He studied it.

"I can smell the Mist on this, Annabeth. Someone made this look like the Golden Fleece," Grover said. Annabeth slowly looked on him. She looked down at Peleus. Someone had managed to sneak past the dragon, poison the tree, steal the Golden Fleece, and replace it with a fake. Even if the person was a friendly, Peleus would have reacted harshly when the Golden Fleece was grabbed.

"What happened to the Golden Fleece?" a voice asked. Annabeth whirled around and looked at the young demigod in front of her. The ten year old stared up at Annabeth, and then, his attention moved to Peleus. "I think I made Peleus mad. He hasn't talked to me in days. He's just laid there with his eyes closed, ignoring me."

"He's been asleep?" Annabeth asked. She knelt next to the demigod. "Grant, why didn't you tell anyone that Peleus wasn't answering you?"

Grant looked down at the ground and shuffled awkwardly. He spoke, "Well, I didn't want anyone to get in trouble. Peleus has been acting weirdly, ever since those Romans visited. I didn't visit him that day, because the one lady that was here scared me. I think Peleus is mad I didn't visit."

Annabeth slowly stood and walked towards Peleus. The dragon was asleep, but how long had he been asleep for? Peleus was more than excited when Grant visited and would always send out little noises to answer any questions Grant had, so it didn't make sense for the dragon to sleep through a visit. Grant did mention a woman being at the tree, so was it the centurion that got in trouble or someone else?

"I'm sorry," Grant began. Annabeth placed a hand to his shoulder and gave him a gentle smile. Her eyes moved to Grover, who was already trotting downhill with the tarp in his hands. Annabeth lost her smile. Someone had planned this out and executed it perfectly.

"It's not your fault. What did the woman look like? Was she wearing Roman armor?" Annabeth asked. Grant looked up at her and nodded. "Did she have blonde hair and blue eyes that are a little pale?"

"Yeah. She seemed really upset and was muttering a lot in that language you keep trying to teach me," Grant said. He glanced around and shifted awkwardly. "You won't be mad at me, will you?"

"Of course not," Annabeth promised. She knelt by Grant again and looked at him. "I won't be mad at all. I just need to know what you think she was saying or where she went."

"She was pacing back and forth, but she never got close to Peleus. She kept looking at a certain spot on the ground, but I'm not sure where at exactly," Grant answered. Annabeth nodded and stood. She glanced at Peleus.

"Can you see if you can wake him up?" Annabeth asked. Grant quickly nodded and hurried to Peleus' side. Annabeth looked at the tree. Most of the color had faded, leaving it to be a sickly green. Annabeth looked down. There was no Golden Fleece to slow the poison that was threatening Thalia's life. They didn't have any time to spare.

Annabeth started to walk down the hill. It took all of her willpower to keep from breaking into a run. Every second was precious, but they couldn't send the camp into a panic. They had to be ready for any monster attacks. Annabeth stopped and looked back at the tree. She hadn't even gotten a sample.

Miranda, a child of Hecate, rushed past her and jogged up the hill. Annabeth felt someone squeeze her arm, and Grover was racing up the hill a moment later. He looked back and spoke, "I'll get the sample. You get ready to head to Camp Jupiter. I think this is going to require a quest."

Annabeth nodded and hurried towards the Big House. When she stepped inside, she saw that Percy and Chiron were in the middle of a conversation. Chiron was cradling the tarp in his hands, as if he couldn't believe what it actually was. Percy was staring at the Iris message in front of him. Both praetors of Camp Jupiter were staring back at him. They were both dressed in light armor and cloaks, but it seemed like they had just woken up.

"Do we know exactly when the Golden Fleece was taken?" Reyna asked. She crossed her arms and met Annabeth's eyes. Her gaze made it seem like she expected Annabeth to have all of the answers, but Annabeth didn't. She shook her head, frustrated. How did she not notice the fleece was missing earlier? How did someone manage to steal it right from underneath their noses?

"No. I wouldn't have even noticed, if I didn't approach the tree," Annabeth answered. She crossed her arms and looked at Frank. He seemed to be lost in thought. "Someone manipulated the Mist to make it seem like the tarp was the Golden Fleece. Peleus is asleep too, and I don't know how long he's been asleep for."

"Who would target Camp Half-Blood?" Frank asked. He looked at Percy, and it was Percy's turn to shrug. "If we can narrow down suspects, we can find the truth. Is there anything we can do to help?"

Reyna shot Frank a look and nudged him. Frank glanced at her, and after a moment, he shook his head angrily. He seemed mad at himself more than Reyna. Percy spoke, "What's wrong?"

"We can't offer help and actually act on it," Reyna explained. She glanced at Chiron. "The Pax Romana begins at midnight. It is something that we observe every year, as the gods decree it. We cannot have fighting of anytime during the period of observation, as the consequences would bring doom upon us."

"I have heard of the Pax Romana and also of the consequences," Chiron said. He seemed to be lost in thought as well. "Lupa told me Camp Jupiter was almost destroyed many years ago, after Camp Jupiter engaged in fighting during the Pax Romana. We would not ask you two to endanger your camp."

"We can still help you find the poison though," Frank said. Reyna nodded her agreement. "We also have a child of Veritas who can help us in the investigation. As soon as we are done observing the peace, we can send a cohort or two to help guard your camp."

"Someone knows enough about Camp Jupiter and Camp Half-Blood to do this," Annabeth muttered. She looked up at the praetors. "They knew that Camp Jupiter wouldn't be able to help us. This was planned well, almost as well as a child of Athena could have planned it."

"Well, Camp Half-Blood does have a lot of enemies," Percy commented. He looked at Chiron. "Annabeth and I will take the poison sample to Camp Jupiter, and if we find out what it is, we'll get the ingredients for the cure. Grover seems to think it's going to involve a quest."

"We won't know until you bring the sample here," Frank said. He glanced at Reyna. "Do we think this might be a coordinated attack? Camp Half-Blood's barrier is weakened, so they won't be able to help, if we are attacked during the Pax Romana"

Reyna's eyes narrowed, and she seemed to think it over. She nodded and spoke, "Possibly. If we were attacked though, Camp Half-Blood wouldn't be able to mount a force large enough to help and get it here before the Pax Romana observation period ends."

"Someone could be planning an attack on Camp Half-Blood as well, and they know the Romans can't help. Even if you can't fight, can you still prepare for a war?" Annabeth asked. Reyna shook her head, and Annabeth frowned. It seemed like the Romans couldn't participate in anything that involved fighting. The Romans would be extremely vulnerable during the time.

"What if it's a coincidence?" Percy asked. He looked at Annabeth. "We do have a lot of people who don't like us. It might just be a coincidence that the tree was poisoned before the Pax Romana. That would be the kind of luck that we have."

Annabeth sighed and glanced at Chiron. It took a moment for Chiron to meet her gaze. He seemed to be deep in thought, and he also seemed to be deeply troubled. Reyna spoke, "Standing around and talking won't get us anywhere. We need to act. I will notify the college in New Rome and tell them to expect a visit to their poison master. Frank, would you be able to find Alfred?"

"It might take a few people for that," Frank commented. Reyna nodded slightly and looked off in the distance. Frank followed her gaze but then focused back on the Iris message. "Send us a message when you get here. We'll meet you and escort you to the college."

"Thank you," Annabeth said. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "We'll figure this out, together."

"Together," Reyna agreed. She glanced at Frank and spoke to him in Latin. Frank nodded, and Reyna gave them a nod. She stepped out of view. Frank sighed and leaned back on the table behind him.

"If you need anything else, let me know," Frank said. Annabeth nodded. Frank, after a moment of troubled silence, ran a hand through the Iris message. The room remained silent, until Percy let out a deep breath.

"Show of hands. Who thinks it was that centurion?" Percy asked. Annabeth looked at him. Even though she didn't respond, she knew that her face gave away the answers. "That's what I thought. Now, how do we approach that Romans about that? Frank sounded like he didn't really trust her, but I don't know how Reyna will react."

"We can't accuse anyone without proof," Annabeth said. She crossed her arms. "Hatred for Camp Half-Blood isn't proof enough. We need something solid, whether it be an eyewitness or even just a vial in her things."

"Be careful," Chiron said. He grabbed both of their shoulders, and while it seemed like he was trying to comfort them, his grip was a little too tight. "I fear that we are facing someone of great skill. They know enough about the Romans and Greeks to pull this off flawlessly and at the perfect time. We do not know what their next move is, so we must remain cautious."

"I'm always cautious," Percy said. Annabeth couldn't help the small laugh that escaped. Percy gave her a look and tried to act like he was actually offended. Percy grew serious a moment later. "We'll be careful, Chiron. Let us know if anything changes."

Chiron nodded. Annabeth looked at the ground. Someone was threatening Camp Half-Blood, and her gut told her it was the centurion. The centurion would want revenge for her brother's death, and this is how she would get it. How did she know so much about Camp Half-Blood though? Was Annabeth not looking deep enough into it?

The daughter of Athena sighed. Without further knowledge, her questions would keep her bumbling in the dark. They needed more information. They needed to know what the poison was, and with the help of the child of Veritas, they could easily figure out if it was actually the centurion or not. Annabeth nodded and looked up. All they needed to do was go to Camp Jupiter. Hopefully, everything would reveal itself.


	6. Blood on Your Hands

As Frank finished his third circling of Camp Jupiter, he let out a deep and annoyed sigh. Frank leaned against the nearest wall and stared at the sky. The sun was starting to peek out from the clouds, and the campers would be awake within the hour. Frank had already spent a whole hour looking for Alfred.

He started with the barracks, but Alfred's bed was empty It seemed like the child of Vertias had gone on one of his infamous walks. Sneaking out of the barracks wasn't recommended, but if your centurion didn't wake to see the bed empty, they usually didn't worry about it. Besides, everyone knew that Alfred loved to go on walks throughout New Rome.

That sent Frank on a search into New Rome. When he didn't find Alfred, he had searched the entirety of Camp Jupiter and circled around the perimeter three times. There wasn't many people awake, so no one was able to aid him in his search.

An exhausted sigh left Frank. When the Iris message had been sent, he had been awake to receive it. Nightmares had plagued him the night before, and he only received a few hours of sleep. Frank knew it was different from the other dream at Camp Half-Blood, but all he remembered was flashes.

A spear had been thrown into the ground again, but the temple was different. It was colder, and the air felt dead. Then, water had filled the temple, and Frank had only been able to stand there, as the water rose above his chest and eventually above his mouth.

Frank sighed and shook his head. He knew that he should have told someone about the dream, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. His Greek friends were distracted by the tree. Hazel was busy with centurion duties, and there was no way he could bring it up to Reyna.

What if it was connected though? He knew that dreams were usually connected to current events. Demigods didn't just dream to dream. It always had a meaning. Always. His dream had to be some kind of sign. All he needed to do was find the correct person to talk to.

Frank pushed himself off of the wall and walked further into New Rome. His eyes darted around, but he didn't see any sign of Alfred. Frank let out a deep sigh and turned the corner. He slammed directly into someone.

Frank stumbled backwards and looked at the person who he had walked into. Livia caught her balance and met his eyes. Frank's eyes narrowed in confusion. It wasn't odd for centurions to wake up earlier than others, and they were able to leave the barracks, as long as they returned in time to wake the rest of their cohort. Why was Livia out of bed though?

Livia seemed to wait a moment, and when Frank couldn't bring himself to say a word, the centurion stormed past him. Livia seemed to mutter something under her breath. Frank turned his head, and he caught the sight of something red falling to the ground. Frank watched the drop of blood splash against the floor, and his eyes moved to Livia's hands.

Livia's right hand was clenched tightly, but it was also shaking. Frank opened his mouth, but Livia disappeared behind a corner. Frank frowned. Why was there blood? He sighed and turned back around. He needed to focus on finding Alfred.

Alfred didn't have many, well any, friends. Everyone was cautious of someone who could tell if they were lying or not. He also didn't have any family. Alfred was a loner, and while Frank didn't judge anyone with how they acted socially, he really wished someone knew where Alfred was.

A coughing in the distance caught Frank's attention. He started to walk towards the noise. Hopefully, it was someone who could tell him where Alfred was, or they might even be able to tell him why there was blood on Livia's hand. Frank cut through an alley

Frank looked around the alley. There was a large trash bin on his right. To the right of the bin was a door, and a large crate was near the door. There was a few bags of bread in the bin. Frank smiled slightly. He was right outside the best bakery in New Rome and probably the best bakery in all of California.

The bread in the bag was leftovers from the day before, and it would be picked up in a few hours to be sent to the food pantry not far from Camp Jupiter. If the bread was already outside, the owner had to be hard at work in the bakery. Maybe, Alfred was inside and helping.

Frank walked further along the alley. He would approach the front door and knock. With luck, Alfred would be in the back helping the owner bake pastries, or the owner would have seen where he went. As Frank stepped out from the alley, he found the source of the coughing, and he found Alfred.

Alfred was in the middle of the street, on his hands and knees. Another cough wracked his body, and blood flew out of his mouth. It joined the small puddle below the boy's face. The rising sun glinted on the handle of the dagger that was buried in his back. Frank ran to Alfred's side.

Frank reached into his pockets, but he didn't find anything. He took a deep breath and quickly tried to search Alfred's pockets. The only thing he found was bits of papers that would hold things Alfred overhead. Alfred looked at Frank and tried to speak. It came out as a gargled noise. His eyes moved to Frank's back, and it seemed like he was warning Frank.

Without hesitation, Frank turned around. He didn't find anyone there. Frank looked around the empty street of New Rome, but there was no one there. As Frank looked back at Alfred, he found that the demigod had collapsed to the ground. Alfred' eyes were closed, and his breathing came out as soft wheezes.

Frank felt panic starting to rise in his chest. He had no medicine on him, and Alfred would die before he could get to a doctor. Frank's eyes moved back to the bakery. He ran to the door and pounded his fist against it. After a few, agonizing seconds, someone seemed to peak out from the backroom. Frank only knocked harder.

After a moment, the owner of the bakery made it to the door and opened it. Her gaze moved from Frank to Alfred, and she hurried back inside. Frank wasn't even back at Alfred's side, before the owner of the bakery met him.

"I'm sorry, Miss Crassus," Frank began. The woman in front of him gave him a small nod and flipped open a box. She grabbed Alfred and helped him sit up. A small vial of liquid was poured into Alfred's mouth.

"No need for formalities, praetor. Call me Darriah," the woman said. She gently laid Alfred back on his stomach and grabbed onto a small towel. Darriah used the towel to remove the dagger from Alfred's back, and she handed it off to Frank.

Darriah placed both hands to Alfred's back and started to sing a small hymn. Frank could see something green, presumably poison, start to trickle out of Alfred's back, but he also saw beads of sweat starting to appear on Darriah's face.

"Get a doctor," Darriah ordered. Frank nodded and stood. He stared down at Alfred. Someone had attacked the child of Veritas, at the same time that they needed him Someone was one step ahead of them. "Praetor, I can keep him stabilized, but he does not have long. "

Frank nodded. He turned and ran the way he came. There was a small clinic not to far from him, but he didn't know if anyone would be there. The barracks had a few healers in it, but it would be a farther run. Alfred didn't have long. Darriah was trying to fight the spread of the poison, but there was no way to tell how long she could keep it upi for.

Was it the same poison that had been used on the tree? If so, it seemed like the culprit was a Roman. There wasn't any Roman who would do that though. While some of them had issues with Camp Half-Blood, they would never go this far. Frank was sure of that.

Frank made his decision and started to run towards the barracks. As he ran, his mind became consumed by thoughts. If they didn't have Alfred, they wouldn't be able to just question and know who poisoned the tree though. It did narrow down the suspects though, but a Roman would never attack one of their own, right?

A cold feeling settled in Frank's gut. He remembered the blood on Livia's hand, and he remembered the way that Alfred had looked behind him. His attacker must have ran the way that Frank came, so was Livia the attacker? Why would she attack Alfred?

Frank slammed into the door of the Fifth Cohort. Dakota made a noise and quickly sat up. When he saw Frank, an annoyed look crossed his face, and he laid back in the bed. The rest of the Fifth Cohort seemed to have woken up at the sound of the door slamming opening.

"Bart and Kendra need to go to the Crassus bakery. Now," Frank ordered. Bart was out of bed and out of the room before Frank could blink. Kendra took a second to stare down at her pillow, but she rolled out of bed and jogged behind. Frank slowly looked at Dakota.

"You got blood on your hands, dude. What happened?" Dakota asked. Frank looked down and stared at Alfred's blood. A weary sigh escaped him. "And, did you say the Crassus bakery? Did Livia finally go off the deep end?"

"Is everyone in the barracks?" Frank asked. He did a quick headcount. Dakota frowned but did one as well. He finally nodded. "Good. Have Hazel keep everyone here. I want you to go to the other cohorts and make sure everyone is there. If anyone is missing, let me know. After that, all centurions are going to report to the Senate."

"Of course, praetor. What's going on?" Dakota asked. He lost his joking smile, and he seemed to be extremely concerned. Frank realized that everyone was staring at him. He looked down.

"Alfred was attacked. You'll know more later," Frank said. He looked down at the ground. All he hoped was that the two children of Apollo could get to Alfred in time. Frank let out a deep breath and looked up. "Just stay here and get the headcount."

"Before the Pax Romana. This is real bad," Dakota whispered softly. Only those closest to Dakota could hear him, but they all had the same look on their faces. Frank looked down. It was not a good omen. Hopefully, it wasn't a sign of what was to come.

Frank turned and walked out of the barracks. He knew that Annabeth and Percy would be arriving soon. They would use shadow travel to reach the camp quickly. The poison sample would still be given to the college, and they could see if it was the same as the poison that had been used on Alfred.

Frank stopped walking and looked up at the sky. What if someone was actually targeting Camp Jupiter? He had heard of people attempting coups doing the Pax Romana, and if they were willing to resort to violence during the sacred time, they obviously didn't care about the consequences. What could Frank do about it, if he didn't even know who was planning it?

After a moment of staring at the sky, Frank looked down. He would need to find Reyna and tell her what happened. Then, they would have to get a message to Lupa. She would want to know that one of her campers had been attacked, seemingly by one of their own. How did the attacker get a weapon past the boundary line though? Terminus would have honed in on the nearest weapon and not have allowed it to pass, unless he trusted them enough to not inspect them.

Frank sighed and shook his head. All of the questions would only leave him more confused. He needed to focus on what he could do. Frank started to jog back towards the bakery. He would check on Alfred and then find Reyna. His fellow praetor would be able to make a plan. She always did. At the moment, all he could do was hope that Alfred survived the attack and would be able to tell them about his attacker.


	7. Put It All to a Stop

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Frank let out a deep breath and looked around the infirmary. Alfred was in a bed next to him and seemed to be sleeping peacefully. Granted, it wasn't hard for someone in a coma to sleep peacefully. Frank looked down. If he had been more decisive about going to the Fifth Cohort, if he had unicorn powder on him, Alfred wouldn't be in a coma.

Frank glanced to his left. His fellow praetor was holding the blood dagger to the light. Half of the blade was missing, as the poison had dissolved it in Alfred's back. It had also dissolved part of his lung. The same thing was happening to the tree, and if they had the cure, they could put it all to a stop.

"Celestial bronze," Reyna commented. Her eyes seemed to focus on the green and red that covered the dagger. "Somehow, the attacker managed to make this past Terminus. He told me that he would prepare a list of everyone that passed through the boundary of New Rome, but what good is the list if he couldn't sense the dagger?"

"I thought Terminus was able to detect things like that," Frank said. Reyna nodded slightly and placed the dagger back on the white cloth. She slowly peeled off her glove and tossed it into the trash. "Can you tell anything else from it?"

"CHB is carved into the hilt," Reyna said. She looked at Frank, and even though she didn't say a word, the accusations were in her eyes. Frank quickly shook his head. "How else would they get a dagger from Camp Half-Blood, unless they were there?"

"They could have made the dagger and carved the initials into it. We don't know that they got the dagger from Camp Half-Blood," Frank said. Reyna crossed her arms and didn't look convinced. Frank looked down. "Look, I know this isn't a coincidence. The Golden Fleece disappears, and Alfred is attacked. The attacker knew that we would use him to question suspects."

"Did you see anyone when you were walking?" Reyna asked. She looked at Frank. He met her eyes. If he told Reyna about Livia, it would only make the centurion seem like a suspect. Granted, she was near the tree during her punishment. She had also hurried away from the area that Alfred was in.

"I ran into Livia, and she had blood on her hand. It seemed like she cut herself," Frank began. Reyna gave him a look. "My gut tells me that she didn't do this, Reyna."

"Unless you have solid evidence, it doesn't matter what your gut says," Reyna commented. "Alfred was found outside of the Crassus bakery, with a dagger from Camp Half-Blood buried in his back. If the dagger is actually from Camp Half-Blood, there was only a few people who could have gotten it. There are only a few people that Terminus wouldn't bother to inspect for weapons."

"You really think Livia did it," Frank said. Reyna met his eyes, and he realized what she was implying. "You think a centurion did it. None of them would do that, Reyna. This has to be all part of a plot."

"Frank, take your feelings out of it," Reyna ordered. She sighed tiredly and sat heavily in a chair. "We have to look at this objectively. Terminus wouldn't bother to check a centurion or praetor for their weapons, if they were going to be in and out. The weapon may not be from Camp Half-Blood, but we have to keep in mind that it could be."

Frank sighed and sat by Reyna. He looked down at the ground but knew that Reyna was telling the truth. Frank spoke, "You're right. Let's say someone did take the dagger from Camp Half-Blood. There armory isn't guarded, so I don't think they would be able to tell us if a dagger was missing or who stopped by. Livia was the only one at the tree during the day, but we were all sleeping in the same room."

"Livia did go to take a walk, and Dakota did say he had to run to the restroom," Reyna said. Frank looked at her with wide eyes. "He wasn't back for awhile, and Nathan went to go find him. Nathan said he fell asleep on the toilet, but that's still a long time to be gone. Who knows if the others left while we were sleeping."

"I woke Dakota up when I barged into the barracks," Frank said. Reyna nodded slightly and rested her head in her hands. "I guess he could have made it back before me, but I don't think he was covered in sweat. Do you think the cut that Livia had was from helping her mom at the bakery?"

"Maybe," Reyna muttered. She let out a tired sigh. Frank agreed with the sentiment. He debated telling Reyna about his dream. Reyna sighed again and slowly stood. "If I was the one who poisoned the tree, I would frame Livia. She's the easy target, but maybe, she knows that. We might overlook her, since she is the obvious choice."

"How did the person manage to put Peleus to sleep?" Frank asked. Reyna didn't answer and started to pace. "Who knows to manipulate the Mist like that? It seems like it would take a master to do that."

"Hazel does," Reyna said softly. Frank's mouth opened in automatic protest, but Reyna held up her hand. "I know. I am just stating fact. If we look hard enough, we can find motive from everyone. We have to gather facts and hope it leads to the truth."

Reyna sighed and looked back at the dagger. She stopped by it and grabbed tweezers from the table. She placed it near the dagger's hilt and seemed to grab onto something. Frank moved to her side and examined the small piece of fuzz.

"Does that belong to gloves? Or a blanket?" Frank asked. Reyna nodded and placed the tweezers down. "Could we do a surprise inspection to try and flush out what it may belong to? Wait. If they covered the weapon with a blanket or hide it in a shirt, could Terminus still detect it?"

"He should be able to," Reyna commented. She crossed her arms. "But, you could coat it in the Mist. Terminus might not look too hard, and that opens up the pool of suspects even more. Great."

They both heard a knock on the door. Frank turned his head and watched the door open. Annabeth stepped into the room, and Percy followed behind her. A frown came to the faces of the Greeks as they saw Alfred. Annabeth spoke, "What happened?"

"Alfred is our child of Veritas, and he was attacked a hour ago. It seems to be by a dagger from your camp," Reyna said. Percy and Annabeth both exchanged looks. "Without him, we don't have an exact way to tell if anyone is telling the truth."

"So, Veritas is the Roman goddess of truth, right?" Percy questioned. Frank nodded. Percy glanced at Annabeth. "You said that the Greek equivalent is Aletheia, and we don't have any of her kids. How exactly could Alfred help us with the investigation?"

"Children of Veritas can tell if you are lying, by being in the same room as you. Some of them need to actually be touching you, but as they grow more experienced, they can do it just by looking at you," Reyna explained. "Alfred would have easily narrowed down our suspect pool. Now, we're let with more conventional methods. I sent a message to Lupa, but there is not telling when she will respond."

"For now, I'm going to go back to where I found Alfred. I'm hoping to find a witness or just someone who saw more than I did," Frank said. He glanced at Percy. "You can come, if you want. I heard the bakery is making blue cookies."

"You're teasing me," Percy said. Frank smiled slightly. It was true that the Crassus bakery was making blue cookies, as apparently there was a mistake when the dough had been sent to the bakery. "Alright, we're going."

"While the boys go and play, we can head to the college," Reyna said. Her gaze focused on Annabeth. "You brought the poison sample, right?"

"Yes," Annabeth said. She pulled off her backpack and pulled a vial out of the front pocket. Frank caught a glimpse of clothes. It seemed like the Greeks thought they would be staying the night. "We think that this is going to involve a quest to find the cure. I just hope the poison master can point us in the direction."

"I'm sure he will," Reyna said. She looked back at Alfred and sighed sadly. Reyna shook her head and walked out of the room. Annabeth looked at Frank, waved, and then followed after the daughter of Bellona.

"About those cookies," Percy began. He threw an arm around Frank and gave him a wide grin. Frank rolled his eyes, but he appreciated how Percy was acting. Percy knew how stressed Frank had to be, and he was doing his best to keep the mood light. "I don't have any Roman money though."

"It's my treat," Frank promised. Percy grinned. Frank glanced back at Alfred again. Someone had been one step ahead of them, but he vowed that this would be the last surprise. They would find out who poisoned the tree and who attacked Alfred. They would then save the tree, and hopefully, no one would attack them or Camp Half-Blood during the Pax Romana.


	8. True Power of New Rome

"That's going to be pretty hard to clean out," Percy commented. Frank shot a look towards Percy. His gaze then moved back towards the bloodstain on the ground. Was it his fault that Alfred was in the coma? If he had been quicker, he would have found Alfred sooner. The bloodstain wouldn't be that big, if Frank had done his job. "It's all in one area. It doesn't seem like Alfred fought his attacker."

"Only a coward would attack someone from behind," one of the Romans muttered. Frank slowly looked at the child of Hermes. A sharp gaze was returned to him. "A stab in the back is the most coward thing that anyone can do. It's a Greek attack. No offense, Greek."

"None taken," Percy said. He shrugged and looked back at Frank. A small smirk came to Percy's face. "So, you didn't see anyone at all? It seems like it would be hard to sneak around."

As if to prove his point, Percy squeaked his shoes on the marble road. Frank nodded and looked at the crowd that had gathered. Despite their best attempts to keep everything quiet, word had quickly spread about what had happened. Everyone wanted to get a look at the scene of the attack, so they had found two Romans to guard it.

Frank looked around the square that they were standing in. There was three exits out of the square. One was a large sidewalk that led off towards the boundary line of the city and towards the barracks. The other two exits were alleyways that led past the shops. The only open shop was the bakery, as the other shop owners were not awake yet.

"I came from there," Frank said. He pointed towards the alley near the bakery. Percy followed his gaze. Frank led Percy away from the two Romans and towards the alleyway. "I saw Livia pass by, before I entered the alley. It's possible that she was visiting her mother, but it's also possible she did this. I really don't know."

"If I can make a suggestion, I would keep an eye on her," Percy said. Frank nodded his agreement. His gut still told him that Livia didn't do it, but what if he was wrong? Being praetor meant that he couldn't afford to be wrong. They needed to find out who had attacked Alfred. "If Livia wasn't the attacker, they would have escaped through the street or the other alley. Is that alley a dead end?"

"No," Frank replied. He looked back towards the road. "It leads out towards the Senate building. I don't think the attacker would have used the road. There's too much of a chance that they would have been spotted. They would have used the other alleyway. Why leave the dagger in Alfred's back though?"

"Well, it can't look good that a dagger from Camp Half-Blood was found in a Roman's back," Percy commented. "I know there are a few Romans who aren't entirely over a warship being fired on their camp. This won't help any. It would also be harder to get rid of the weapon, if they took it. That's probably why they wore gloves. The bakery owner didn't see anything?"

"Darriah was in the back of the bakery, working on bread. She only came to the door after I knocked," Frank explained. He made his way towards the bakery. Frank glanced back at the square and then back at Percy. "If the person didn't sneak up on Alfred, how did they stab him in the back?"

"Alfred turned his back to them?" Percy began. Frank sighed and looked down. Why would Alfred turn his back to anyone? "They could have finished a conversation, and Alfred turned away. Then, he gets stabbed."

"You're probably right," Frank said. He stopped at the door of the cafe and looked inside. There was a group of three men and two women standing by the counter. They all held types of pastries and cups of coffee. Frank took a deep breath and stepped into the coffee shop.

"Praetor Zhang," one of the men greeted. His eyes focused on Frank. Out of the corner of Frank's eye, he saw that Percy was staring at the man's handlebar mustache. Frank nudged the demigod next to him.

"It's got like six curls on the end," Percy whispered. Frank gave him another look. While it was true that the man looked like he had stepped out of a cowboy movie and threw a Roman cuirass on, he hated for anyone to comment on his mustache. He had already ruined the lives of multiple demigods for looking at it wrong.

"Halward, it's a pleasure," Frank said. He almost said the words through gritted teeth. Halward looked at him and smiled. His eyes then moved to the door. Frank knew that Halward was looking at the bloodstain outside, and his circle of friends were watching it as well.

"This must be the Greek that we have heard so much about," Darriah said. She seemed to appear from behind the counter. Percy looked around the cafe. Frank did too and realized that it was empty. He should have known that they were intruding upon a private meeting. "You were a former praetor, if I remember correctly."

"A Greek born demigod was made a praetor of a Roman camp?" the shorter of the women, Kelly commented. She let out a small laugh. Her gaze then moved to Frank. "What else will they think of, Praetor Zhang? And, what did happen outside with the child of Vertias?"

"I don't know," Frank answered. He crossed his arms and looked at the six people in front of him. Darriah and Kelly looked like they could have been siblings. Both had blonde hair and blue eyes, but the big difference was the fact that Darriah's eyes were a very light shade of blue. The third woman was standing behind the rest of the group and had a hood that cast a shadow over her face.

Frank didn't know the woman's name, and he had never heard her talk before, if she could even talk. There was many rumors about the woman, but most of the demigods seemed to agree that she had tongue removed during an interrogation. They just didn't know if the interrogation was done by the Romans or someone trying to find information about Camp Jupiter.

The two other men were twins, but they looked nothing alike. One was small and had almost no muscle on his body, but Frank had seen him pick up two fighting demigods with ease. The other man was taller than Frank and built like a semi truck. There was not one part of him that didn't show defined muscles. The only way to tell that they were related was by their brown eyes and black hair.

Frank focused back on the six people in front of him. It was true that the Senate made decision that affected Camp Jupiter and gave guidance to the praetors, but the true power of New Rome was this group. Their words created or destroyed careers. Reyna had warned Frank about them a few times, but she never went into great detail. Frank spoke, "I was hoping that Darriah could tell me more."

"Unfortunately, I did not hear anything. The only thing I heard was your banging on my door," Darriah said. She let out a sigh and glanced at Halward. "Did the boy live?"

"He's hanging onto life," Frank answered. As he studied the circle in front of him, he realized that he wouldn't get answers from them. They were studying him and Percy, as if they were trying to answer their own questions. "If you think of anything that could help us, can you let Reyna or I know."

"Of course," Darriah said. A small smile came to her face. Frank nodded and let Percy out of the cafe. Percy tried to say something, but Frank grabbed his arm and pulled him further down the road. He didn't stop until they were near the barracks of the Fifth Cohort.

"What's going on?" Percy asked. Frank glanced around and saw that no one was watching them. Percy looked at him confused. "I don't recognize them from the last time that I was here. You seem pretty annoyed by them."

"I hate politics," Frank said. He sighed and looked up at the sky. "The Senate votes on a lot of things in Camp Jupiter and keeps everything regulated. Those six control the city of New Rome, and they have a few hands in the Senate. They all held positions of power, in their prime. Halward and Darriah are former praetors. The woman who laughed is a former augur, but she is filling the role now, until we find a permanent replacement.

"The two other men, the twins, were centurions for five years. They are the reason the First Cohort is considered the best. The last woman, whose name I don't even know, is a mystery. I don't really know anything about her. Out of all of them, Halward would have hated you the most. He was away on family business during your time here."

"Because I'm a Greek, right?" Percy asked. Frank nodded and looked down. It bothered him that they were all having a meeting at Darriah's cafe. Nothing good ever happened, when the six met. "Why was no one else in the cafe? Are they really that scared of this group?"

"Do you remember how they asked for your qualifications when you got here?" Frank asked. Percy nodded. "Well, those letters of recommendation can make or break your career at Camp Jupiter. Hard work and skill can sometimes overcome the lack of letters, but there are times when politics just weigh you down. The politics are controlled by those six. Well, New Rome is controlled by them."

"You don't think they had something to do with Alfred being attacked, do you?" Percy questioned. Frank didn't answer, but he did look down. Frank sighed. "Even if they did, they wouldn't have anything to do with the Golden Fleece being taken. Well, they could have, if you think Livia did it."

"That's not the only centurion involved with them," Frank muttered. "Leila is the daughter of Halward. I don't think she would have done it, but we both know how family bonds are. It doesn't narrow down the choices anymore. In fact, it only worries me. I don't know if the six of them would plot against Camp Half-Blood, but it's another thing to keep an eye on."

"Great," Percy said. He crossed his arms. "Let me get this straight. They control pretty much everything in the city of New Rome and have their fingers all over the rest of Camp Jupiter. The only thing really keeping them from controlling everything is you and Reyna. They also hate Greeks. Am I missing anything?"

"If they actually did order for the tree to be poisoned and for Alfred to be attacked, it's going to tear Camp Jupiter apart. Things will get very bloody very fast," Frank said. He sighed deeply. "I need to talk to Reyna about this."

Frank looked down at his watch. It was almost noon, and they were nowhere closer to finding out who attacked Alfred or poisoned the tree. He just hoped that the girls were having better luck than them. Frank glanced at his watch again and counted down the hours to dinner.

With the Greeks visiting, they were required to prepare a special dinner. Hospitality required it. Reyna would probably be too busy to oversee preparations. Frank realized it would fall to him. He looked at Percy and spoke, "Is Nico all recovered from using shadow travel? If so, you can take him and explore Camp Jupiter. I have to check on dinner for tonight. We do have special guests over, after all."


	9. Everything Will Work Out

Annabeth always wanted to visit the college at New Rome, but she really didn't want to visit it under these circumstances. Her gaze focused through the glass window of the door and at the professor in the middle of the room. He was almost as tall as the blackboard behind him, but he had a kind smile. His gaze moved around the room.

The professor met Annabeth's eyes, and if he had any concerns about a demigod standing outside his door, he didn't show it. The professor looked back at his students and spoke, "Now, who here knows of the poison king? What can they tell me about him?"

Annabeth didn't have any problems hearing him through the door, and she almost instinctively raised her hand to answer the question. Reyna appeared next to Annabeth and looked at her. She knocked on the door. The professor glanced at the door and motioned for them to come in.

Reyna held the door open for Annabeth and motioned for her to step inside. All of the students in the room turned to look at Annabeth. She almost felt like it was her first day of school. Annabeth focused on the professor's face.

"Praetor, this must be the Greek demigod you spoke of. I did not realize she would be transferring so soon," the professor said. Annabeth frowned. She thought that Reyna was going to notify the college that they were visiting, but she probably didn't have time to after learning about Alfred.

"Professor," Reyna greeted. She bowed her head towards him. "We actually need your help with looking at a poison sample."

"Of course," the professor said. He motioned to the back of the room. Annabeth turned her head to see a small lab. Behind the lab was a large, glass cabinet that held vials of liquid that all seemed to be labeled. "Class, open the textbook to page fifty. Read the chapter. We will review it to end class, and you'll learn of your next major project."

The professor led them towards the back of the room and grabbed a small vial. Reyna handed the vial of poison from the tree to the professor. He opened the vial and poured half of it into his empty one. He then lifted the remaining half to the light and studied it.

"Do you mind, praetor?" the professor asked. He motioned to a platter next to him that had twenty small cups on it. A nasty looking bottle of liquid sat near the cups. Reyna nodded and started to fill the small cups with the liquid. Annabeth's nostrils burned at the smell. "Where is this from?"

"Our camp has a barrier that draws power from a tree. My best friend was dying and was turned into the tree. It now protects our camp, but someone poisoned it. The tree was poisoned years ago, and a new poison was added to the old one. That is what is in the vial," Annabeth explained. The professor nodded and placed the vial under a microscope.

"I have to test it to be sure, but I am willing to bet my degree that this is Mithridate," the professor said. Annabeth looked at him in surprise and confusion. "It's actually the chapter we are covering. Mithridates would drink poison everyday, to build up an immunity to it. When he tried to kill himself as Romans were invading, he found that his immunity had been built too well."

"Isn't Mithridate the antidote to poison though?" Annabeth questioned. The professor looked at her, and his eyes seemed to light up. Reyna raised an eyebrow and continued to pour the foul smelling liquid. "It was the culmination of Mithridates' research on poison."

"You are definitely attending my classes," the professor said. He looked at Reyna. "Do you remember the lessons that you sat in on for observation? We went over the role of Mithridate."

"It's an antidote, until demigod blood is added to it. Then, it becomes a nasty poison," Reyna replied. She looked down at the cups and seemed to think. "The cure isn't something I recall."

"The cure is the poison," the professor explained. "When the Mithridate and demigod blood are combined together, they become a dangerous poison. To make the cure, you must soak that poison in nectar. Then, another drop of the creator's blood must be added to it. As you can guess, the hardest part is finding the blood of the person who created the poison."

"Can you begin making Mithridate? We will need two of them. One will be for a demigod, and the other is for the tree," Reyna said. She glanced at Annabeth. "We need the blood of the person who created the poison. That's going to be a problem"

"Are you able to use a sample of the poison to tell who administered it?" Annabeth asked. The professor studied the vial and seemed to think about it. Annabeth could feel her heart starting to race. If they could find out who made the poison, they could get the cure and learn who was behind the plot.

"Hypothetically," the professor answered. Reyna gave him a look of surprise. The professor smiled and rubbed his chin. "I can separate all of the ingredients, but it will take time. I should be able to find a drop or two of the blood in there. I do not know how we would tell who the blood belongs to."

"A god or goddess could probably tell us," Annabeth said. She glanced at Reyna. The praetor was staring down at the vials and seemed to be lost in thought. "You guys don't happen to have a way to do a blood test, do you?"

Reyna shook her head. She looked up and spoke, "Is there anything else that you can tell us about Mithridate? Is there anything we can do to slow down the poisoning of the tree?"

"Well, it sounds like the two of you do not know who created the poison. If you did, their blood could be used to muddle the Mithridate. If too much demigod blood is added, it will slow the effects of the poison. It may only buy a few hours, but time is precious. Without the blood, there is nothing I can recommend," the professor said. "This poison is the culmination of Roman knowledge. Whoever used this is very committed."

"Thank you for the help," Annabeth said. She looked down at the cups. The professor gave them a nod and picked up the platter that held the cups. He walked around the room and gave a cup to each of his students. Annabeth glanced at Reyna. The praetor looked as annoyed as Annabeth felt.

The professor had done his best to help, but they were still at square one. He only assumed that the poison was Mithridate and demigod blood, but he didn't know for sure. If he was right, they couldn't have the true cure until they found out who poisoned the tree. How were they suppose to find that out?

"As you all know, Mithridates would drink poison everyday to build up his immunity," the professor said. He eyed all of his students. "All of you will take a sip from your cup. It will not kill you, but it will begin to build your immunity. The best way to survive poison is to become accustomed to it."

Reyna glanced at Annabeth and then led her out of the room. For a few moments, they stood in the hallway. Reyna finally closed the door behind them and spoke, "That wasn't useful at all. Do you have any thoughts?"

Annabeth looked back at the classroom. She spoke, "Whoever planned all of this is dangerous. They knew about the poison, and they were able to do it all right under our noses. The professor said you sat in on one of his lectures about Mithridates. Do you remember anything from it."

"Nothing that hasn't already been said," Reyna replied. She led Annabeth towards the staircase. "Frank is trying to complicate it more than it should be. Whoever poisoned the tree has to a Roman, as one of our own was attacked. It had to be someone on the trip to your camp, which leaves us with seven suspects."

"Seven," Annabeth said. It only took her a moment to do the mental math. "You're including you and Frank. You don't actually think Frank would do anything like this. I know you wouldn't."

"The Senate might. They're going to come to the same conclusion that I have, and they will question all of us. We need alibis and proof of what we were doing. The problem here is both Frank and I were out while Albert was attacked."

"Whoever did this won't be able to frame you," Annabeth promised. Reyna met her eyes and didn't seem convinced. "The Senate will see right through this, Reyna. They know all the things you have done. You shouldn't worry."

"I have reason to worry," Reyna said. She led Annabeth outside of the college and looked up at the sky. "The Pax Romana is beginning, and Camp Jupiter will be at its most vulnerable. I can't allow anyone to threaten my home."

Annabeth nodded and remained silent. There was a scary intensity to Reyna's eyes. After a moment, the daughter of Bellona sighed and led Annabeth further away from the college. Reyna spoke, "It may be wise to head back to Camp Half-Blood. I can deliver the Mithridate as soon as it is made, and we can root out whoever poisoned the tree. They may try something else, while you're still here."

"You don't think the person would be that bold, would they?" Annabeth asked. Reyna nodded slightly. Annabeth frowned. "I think Percy and I would be able to help you, unless you don't want us here."

"I didn't mean it like that," Reyna began. She seemed to think over her next words, and a small sigh escaped. "I'm worried, Annabeth. My campers are being attacked. Trying to keep an eye on you and Percy will detract from the investigation."

"We can protect ourselves," Annabeth promised. She ignored the look that Reyna gave her and instead focused on the path that they were walking. "I know you're just worried about us, but I can't stand around while my camp is in danger."

"If you go back to Camp Half-Blood, I know everything will work out," Reyna insisted. Annabeth stopped walking and looked at the praetor. Reyna met her eyes. Annabeth finally looked away. She knew that Reyna was just worried about her and trying to keep her safe, but Annabeth couldn't just stand around while Camp Half-Blood was in danger. She had to do something. The tree, and Thalia, was only getting worse, from what Chiron had told her.

"I will go back to Camp Half-Blood, after I've spoken to the Senate. They haven't called together an emergency meeting yet?" Annabeth asked. Reyna shook her head. "Do you know why?"

"Some of the members of the Senate don't find it necessary," Reyna responded. Annabeth gave her a surprised look. "Others are worried about gathering together. They think Alfred's attack was meant to draw up together, so someone could wipe us out. It's a precaution, but I know a few of them were informally meeting."

Annabeth nodded, but the words didn't convince her. She was sure that the Senate would have gathered, since one of the Romans had been attacked. Was there more to it than she knew? Annabeth spoke, "That sounds odd."

"It is. I don't like it," Reyna said. She crossed her arms. "I have to check in on the dinner for tonight. You are welcome to explore the camp, but all I ask is that you have someone trusted with you. I don't want to hear a report that you were attacked."

"I'll be safe," Annabeth promised. Reyna nodded and motioned for Annabeth to follow her. The daughter of Athena did. It seemed like Reyna would escort her to a friendly face. Annabeth let out a deep breath she didn't know that she was holding. It felt like Reyna thought Annabeth was going to be a target of an attack, but she didn't know of any Romans that didn't like her in particular.

Did the praetor know more than she was letting on? Was it part of the reason that the Senate wouldn't meet. Annabeth frowned and looked around. A few Romans were on the streets, but none were paying any attention to them. Yet, Annabeth felt like she was being watched. The daughter of Athena looked around. Something told her she was in danger, but she didn't know where the danger was coming from. Something told her that she would learn about it soon.


	10. When Have the Romans Ever Known Peace

As Frank looked around the mess hall, he couldn't help but feel a pit of nervousness in his stomach. He had checked over dinner preparations about five different times, and he had seen Reyna there once or twice. It was beyond important that they had a flawless dinner. If they could get the little details right, they would look in control. That's what Reyna always told him, so it had to be true.

The daughter of Bellona was at the far end of the mess hall and talking to Halward. The two seemed to be in an intense conversation, and while everyone wasn't looking their way, they were all clearly listening in. Frank was too far away to make out the words or hear anything. Halward was making rather dramatic hand motions and didn't seem too pleased. Frank looked away and moved his eyes around the rest of the mess hall.

Percy seemed to be introducing Annabeth to the Fifth Cohort, but Frank knew they would be making their way over to the head table. They were honored guests for the night. Frank sighed and heard a plate being placed in front oh him. He slowly looked down at his food. Cups and plates of food were placed in front of the empty spaces near him.

The senior centurions were on the other side of the table, and half of them were focused on their food. The other half were throwing around historical who would win scenarios with what sounded like pop singers. Dakota was on his fourth or fifth cup of kool-aid, and Frank prayed that their servers were going to cut him off soon. His eyes moved to Hazel, who was sitting at the Fifth Cohort's table.

Hazel seemed to feel his gaze. She looked at him and smiled. Frank returned the smile. Despite the fact that they had found out nothing about Alfred's attacker, they were starting to get the cure together. All they needed was the blood of the person who had created the poison. That task would be a little harder, but Frank knew they could make it happen.

Frank looked down at his drink and took a sip. He almost spat the drink out, as it started to burn. Frank forced himself to swallow the liquid. Something told him that he was given Reyna's drink by accident. She was always into trying exotic drinks and food. She had mentioned it reminded her of home. Frank focused back on the drink. It wasn't normal for the plates or cups to get mixed up, but there was a first for everything.

Reyna sat down next to him and let out a deep breath. She spoke, "Halward always finds the right nerve to get on. He's bothering me about your punishment for the Second Cohort. Who cares if we gave them plastic spoons to clean up after Hannibal? It was your idea anyways."

Frank opened his mouth to protest. He had only jokingly suggested it, but Reyna didn't seem to realize it was a joke. Frank realized that arguing would be pointless and instead took another sip from his cup. It still tasted disgusting. His gaze moved to the blue soda that was in one of the cups. It was definitely where Percy would be sitting, but what exactly was that drink?

Annabeth appeared at the table and sat next to Reyna. She spoke, "The camp really is beautiful. Thank you for letting Hazel show us around. Did you learn anything else about Alfred?"

"No. Darriah didn't hear anything outside of her cafe," Frank replied. He glanced at Reyna. They had already shared everything they learned, while inspecting the dinner. His eyes moved to the centurions that were sitting around the table. "We have some theories we can share with the Senate, after dinner."

Annabeth nodded and looked down at her food. Percy appeared by her side and sat next to her. He looked at Frank and smiled. Percy spoke, "Don't tell Chiron I said this, but you guys have great food and even better drinks."

"It's blue," Reyna said. She glanced at the cup and raised an eyebrow. Percy only gave her a wide grin. "Does it even taste good?"

"Try it," Percy offered. Reyna seemed to debate it, and when Percy grinned wider and held the cup out, the daughter of Bellona rolled her eyes. Reyna grabbed onto the cup and took a sip. She frowned at the taste and handed the cup back to Percy. "Like it?"

"It's weird," Reyna answered. She coughed and cleared her throat. It definitely didn't look like she enjoyed the taste of it. "It burns a little bit going down."

Percy frowned and looked at his cup. He sat it down. Frank glanced at Reyna, and she looked at him. He gave his fellow praetor a concerned look, but she waved it off. Frank nodded.

"Should I give the speech?" Frank asked. Reyna nodded and held her hand out, as if to give Frank the floor. She really needed to stop doing that. Frank stood and started to clear his throat, to get everyone's attention. Before he could fully stand, all of the legionnaires looked at him. It was like they were expecting the speech.

Frank was grateful that Reyna had stood up with him. She was watching him out of the corner of her eye and seemed to be silently willing him to get on with the speech. Frank spoke, "As some of you may have heard, Alfred was attacked this morning. We are still trying to find his attackers, and if anyone has any information, we ask that you come forward as soon as possible."

"While our thoughts are with Alfred, we must also turn our attention towards tonight. At midnight, the Pax Romana will begin. We will observe the peace that reigned throughout our great empire, and we will observe the peace that will come for many years," Frank continued. He glanced at Reyna. His fellow praetor didn't seem disappointed by his speech, which helped bolster his confidence.

"This year will be different," Frank said. He motioned to Annabeth and Percy. "This is the first year that we celebrate with the Greeks. We will be allies for many centuries to come, and as with all allies, we will help Camp Half-Blood in their time of need. Their tree that controls their barrier has been poisoned, and after the observation of the Pax Romana ends, we will put our full efforts towards helping our allies."

"To our allies and a time of prosperity," Reyna said. She grabbed her glass from the table and raised it. Frank did as well, but he felt his gut started to twist. He cleared his throat and coughed. Something in chest started to burn, and the feeling spread throughout his chest.

"Frank, you okay?" Percy asked. He looked up at Frank. The son of Mars tried to respond, but he lost strength in his hands. His cup fell to the ground, and his knees went weak. Reyna caught onto him and looked down at him. Her eyes moved to the cup and widened.

Frank felt himself being sat against the table. His eyes slowly moved to his fallen cup. His drink had spilled onto the table, and he could see the green that stained the bottom of his cup. A child of Apollo knelt by Frank, but his vision was turning blurry.

"Percy, pour out your cup," Reyna ordered. She coughed a moment later and let out a small curse. Frank tried to move his eyes but couldn't. His eyelids started to close, but he fought to keep them open. He saw Reyna collapse to her knees and cough miserably. Reyna spat out blood and something that looked green, just like the poison with the tree.

Frank tried to speak, but he coughed again. His breathing was starting to become short, and his eyelids closed against his will. Frank felt someone grab him and heard talking, but everything started to fade away. Another burning wave washed over Frank, but as soon as it came, it was gone.

After a moment, Frank was able to breath normally. He opened his eyes and stared up at the temple that he was in. Frank quickly sat up and stared up at the statue in front of him. It was the same one from his first dream. Since Frank was closer to the statue, he could see the blood that covered the bottom of the hooded statue's face.

"Pax Romana," a woman said. Frank quickly stood and turned around. He saw a hooded figure walking towards him. Droplets of blood were falling from her face and hitting the floor. "Roman peace. When have the Romans ever known peace, son of war?"

"Is this your doing?" Frank demanded. He looked around the temple. Frank wasn't dead, at least not yet. He hoped Reyna was okay as well, but something told her she received a bigger dose of poison, considering she had been coughing out blood. "Who are you?"

"I am a goddess and the beginning of everyone's end. I walked with mortals, until I could bear to no more," the woman replied. She approached Frank and grabbed his face. Frank stared into the woman's eyes, but he saw his own eyes staring back. "A demigod like you came to my temple. She fell to her knees and prayed for justice. She prayed for the justice for her family and justice for all of her wrongs. The poor girl also prayed for her innocence, but how can one with so much blood be innocent?"

The goddess pushed Frank away. He fell to the ground and stared up at sky. There was no roof, as it seemed like the entire temple was crumbling. Frank focused on the cluster of stars that shone brightly in the sky, but he could not make out what constellation it was suppose to represent.

"Many pilgrims pray for justice, but they are turned away by our lady. Our lady, the almighty light, guides us and leads us, but she is blinded by her own fears," the goddess whispered. Frank slowly stood and backed away from the goddess. The only thing he was understanding from the conversation was that someone had prayed to the goddess for justice, and the goddess seemed happy to oblige.

"What do they want justice for?" Frank questioned. The goddess only shook her head and looked down. She made a motion over her heart and seemed to be grieving for a moment. "Is it justice to poison and attack someone? Is it justice to poison the tree at Camp Half-Blood?"

"Justice is exact," the goddess answered. "You mortals have a saying for it: you reap what you sow. A very grave crime was committed, and innocence was destroyed. Justice is exact, Frank Zhang, and innocence will be restored. Do you know how to restore innocence?"

"No. You haven't answered any of my questions either," Frank said. The goddess laughed and grabbed onto his arms. Frank had no time to react as he was pulled closer to the goddess. As he was pulled closer to the goddess' face, it looked like she had been crying.

"To restore your innocence, you must soak yourself in blood," the goddess whispered. She smiled and shoved Frank backwards. Frank fell to the ground and felt that he had landed on something wet. He looked around at all of the corpses that lined the room they were in. They were no longer in the temple, but he had no clue what this place was. "Blood must always be repaid in blood, praetor, and to cleanse yourself, you must soak yourself in the blood of those who have wronged. Have a good nap, son of Mars. I do hope you make it."


	11. This Is Not a Good Omen

Frank felt guilty to admit that he actually did have a nice nap. Despite the fact that he had been poisoned, it was nice to catch up on some of the sleep that he had missed. It was not nice to wake up and immediately go into a coughing fit. Frank turned on his side and coughed out something green.

A hand rubbed his back, which gave him a small comfort. Frank groaned and slowly turned onto his back. He sat up and was handed a bowl. Frank looked down at the bowl of ice cream. There was something sprinkled on top, and it took him a moment to realize that it was Unicorn powder.

"How are you feeling?" Percy asked. Frank blinked a few times and grabbed onto the spoon. He took a moment to take a few spoonfuls of ice cream. It helped ease the pain in his throat, and his stomach slowly stopped doing flips. "That good?"

"I feel like I got hit by a truck," Frank admitted. He slowly looked around the room that they were in. Frank was in the far corner of the room, with Annabeth and Percy by his side. Across the room, three people were surrounding a bed. Frank craned his head and heard the sound of Reyna coughing.

Frank sat the bowl on the bedside table and slowly made it to his feet. Annabeth tried to protest, but Frank shook his head. He was more concerned about his fellow praetor than himself. Frank placed a hand to the wall and took a step forward. Despite the help of the wall, he stumbled.

Two hands gently grabbed onto Frank. It took him a moment to look back at his friends. They led him to the nearest bed and sat him down. Annabeth spoke, "You need to try and relax. They are doing everything that they can."

Frank shook his head and looked at Reyna. It seemed like Reyna was drifting in and out of unconsciousness. Her eyes were blinking rapidly, and even though she was looking around, it seemed like she wasn't registering any of her surroundings. Reyna started to cough again, and she spat out blood.

"Deep breaths," Darriah ordered. She was kneeling next to Reyna, and some of the blood had flickered onto her face. Darriah placed a hand to Reyna's forehead. "You're burning up. I know it's hard, but you need to keep some water down."

"It's been over a hour," Percy said quietly. He was staring at the ground and had a distraught look in his eyes. "That poison was meant for me. If I didn't tell Reyna to try the drink, I would be in her position. It's my fault."

"No one here is at fault," Annabeth said. She grabbed Percy's shoulder and gave him a look. Then, her gaze focused on Frank. "The only person who is at fault is the same person who poisoned the tree. They did this. We just have to find out who it was."

"I concur," Darriah said. She stood and grabbed a wet towel. Darriah wiped the blood from her hands and face. "The Senate is in an emergency meeting, and the Pax Romana begins in a few minutes. This is not a good omen."

"It's a bad omen," Frank muttered. He tried to clear his throat and went into a coughing fit. Pain moved down to his stomach, and Frank had to resist the urge to curl up on his side. The pain in his stomach was getting even worse. A bottle of water was handed to him.

Frank took a sip from the water and had to resist the urge to spit it out. He groaned and placed the water bottle on the bedside table. Frank spoke, "How bad of a shape is Reyna in?"

"The praetor would be in a worse shape, if the Greeks hadn't given her any nectar," Darriah replied. "If I had to guess, it is the same poison that was used on the tree. It is definitely the same poison that was used on Alfred, but it is affecting Reyna differently. She's fighting desperately to stay out of the same coma that Alfred is in."

"There was no poison in my cup or Reyna's cup," Annabeth added. She glanced at Darriah and then looked back at Frank. "Your cup had enough poison to cover the bottom, but there was twice that amount in Percy's cup. Someone was targeting you two."

"Or, they were sending a message," Darriah commented. Frank slowly looked at Darriah. "A praetor and a visitor were poisoned in the middle of dinner. They were both investigating a Roman that had been attacked. It could have been a warning for them to back off."

"The warning failed," Frank said angrily. He resisted the urge to groan and slowly made it to his feet. Frank met Darriah's eyes, and he looked down at her. Darriah raised her head and simply met his eyes. They both studied each other. "Have they sent anyone to make a list of everyone who was in the kitchens tonight?"

"Jose is already on it," Darriah answered. She smirked and walked back towards Reyna. The other two that had been by Reyna's side had left the room, leaving Darriah with Frank and his friends. "I am no fool, praetor. You think my daughter did this."

"I don't think anyone did anything," Frank said. He crossed his arms. Darriah studied him and then looked back down at Reyna. "If you know something about this, you need to tell me. Someone is attacking our allies. Someone tried to poison our allies and poisoned me."

Frank studied Darriah and frowned. Was her group of friends behind this? Was this the ultimate coup to take over power of Camp Jupiter? Frank looked down at the ground. He could not afford to be wrong about who had tried to poison Percy and managed to poison him.

"I know nothing more than you do," Darriah replied. She looked down at Reyna. "Your fellow praetor will either succumb to the same coma that took Alfred, or she will wake. If she does, I want to know immediately."

"Of course," Frank said. Darriah studied him for a moment. She then turned and stalked out of the room. Frank crossed his arms and then slowly looked at Annabeth and Percy. "What do you two think?"

"Well, Reyna did want Percy and I to return to Camp Half-Blood. She was worried that something would happen, and we would only detract from the investigation," Annabeth said. She walked towards Reyna and sat by her. "I wish I had listened."

"Reyna's always right," Frank muttered. He collapsed onto the nearest bed and stared at the ceiling. A million thoughts ran through his head, and he took a deep breath. "How am I suppose to be a good praetor, if I can't even solve this? I hear what everyone says behind my back. I was only promoted on the back of what others did."

"Hey, we would have never returned the standard, if it wasn't for you," Percy said. Frank slowly looked at him. "You're more deserving of praetor than I was. All of those people who talk behind your back are just jealous. Jason told me that Reyna and him would always bounce ideas off of each other. Well, we're here. Let's start bouncing."

Frank sighed and couldn't stop his smile. He slowly sat up and looked at the two Greeks. Frank spoke, "I just don't think that any of the Romans could have done this, but that's the only answer. Who would have done anything like this?"

"Is it just me, or did Darriah sound like she was threatening us?" Percy asked. "She definitely has reason to not like Camp Half-Blood. One of her kids did die there."

"Well, she could just be looking out for her daughter," Frank began. He sighed and looked at the ceiling again. Why didn't he think that a Roman could do wrong? He had seen how Octavian acted, and there was plenty of Romans who treated him unfairly. He just didn't think a Roman could go this far.

"Why target you and Percy though?" Annabeth asked. Frank glanced at her. He could see what Annabeth was thinking. Frank frowned and tried to force his mind into overdrive. If someone was going to attack Camp Jupiter during the Pax Romana, they would have poisoned both of the praetors. If they were targeting Camp Half-Blood, they would have taken out the Greeks. No one would be daring enough to attack both of the camps at the same time, right? "Who's allowed in the kitchens?"

"Only members of the Senate, praetors, and centurions. Anyone being punished might have to clean dishes, but they wouldn't actually touch any food," Frank said. He slowly stood and walked a few feet forward. Thankfully, he didn't stumble. "I'm going to talk to the Senate. I think it will be best to pull aside all of the centurions who went on the trip. We're going to find out who poisoned the tree. How is it doing?"

"Chiron told me that the tree is only getting worse, and Thalia is as well. The Hunters of Artemis took her to Camp Half-Blood, but they think the tree has a day or two left," Annabeth began. She took a deep breath. "Frank, we are running out of time. Is there anything we can do to help?"

"Stay safe," Frank answered. He looked at them. "I know that your best friend is dying and your camp barrier is as well, but if someone is targeting the two of you, they have you right where they want you. Camp Jupiter is full of shortcuts and hidden paths that would make it easy to get to you. I don't want you guys leaving a friendly face."

"We'll stay with Reyna," Annabeth promised. Percy nodded his agreement. "We won't move from this spot, until you are done talking with all the of the centurions. After that, we need to make a plan of action."

"We will. I'll send someone from the Fifth Cohort to watch over you guys. If Reyna wakes up, have them find Darriah then me," Frank said. He glanced back at Reyna and walked towards her side. "We're going to find who did this. I promise. You just have to keep fighting this a0nd wake up."

Frank took a deep breath and walked towards the door. He thought back to his dream. Should he tell the others? Would they think he was crazy? Why was he questioning everything he was going to do? Frank had to act confident, even if he didn't feel like it.

"I had a dream a few day ago, when we were at Camp Half-Blood," Frank began. He looked back at the Greeks. "There was a cloaked figure at a temple, and a statue spoke to them. The statue told them that blood must be repaid in blood, and that the cloaked figure wanted destruction."

"Why didn't you tell us about this before?" Annabeth questioned. Frank looked down. Annabeth walked towards him. "Have you had any other dreams? Is there anything else you can tell us?

"I just had another dream," Frank said. He sighed and told the two demigods about his dreams. As he spoke, he noticed how the Greeks were staring at him. Annabeth's mind seemed to be racing, and Percy was just listening to the story. Frank finished telling them about his recent dream, and his eyes moved towards Reyna. What did the goddess have to do with all of this?

"Sounds like a goddess of justice," Annabeth muttered. Frank nodded his agreement. "I'll talk to Chiron about this. He should be able to tell me who all of the Greek goddesses of justice are. It could be a minor goddess too. I'll send a message."

"Just stay close," Frank began. Annabeth nodded. Frank glanced at them ad then looked at Reyna. The three of them were counting on him to find out who had poisoned the drinks. He had to come through for them and find the truth. Frank took a deep breath and walked out of the infirmary. As he glanced up at the sky, he vowed to find out who had poisoned the cups and the tree, one way or another.


	12. We Have a Traitor in Our Midst

The Senate House was in absolute chaos. Most of the veterans of the legion were arguing with the Lares about who had actually poisoned the tree and what course of action they should take. As Frank walked through the Senate House, he could only catch snippets of each conversation. Most of the centurions were sitting off to the side and listening to the arguing.

As Frank looked around the Senate House, he was forced to take a deep breath. He had to act confident, and the confidence would radiate throughout the room. Frank knew what he needed to do. First, the Senate needed to be brought to order. Then, they would question all of the centurions and find out who poisoned the tree. Their blood would be used to find the cure and save the barrier, Alfred, and Thalia. No pressure.

Frank walked into the middle of the room. No one really seemed to notice him, besides Livia. Her eyes focused on Frank, and a small smirk came to her face. Livia shook her head and leaned back in her chair. Dakota gave her a side glance, and he nervously played with his flask. Frank studied the two and then focused on the rest of the room.

All he had to do was get everyone's attention. He would probably have to raise his voice, but first, he needed the right words to say. Frank took a deep breath and opened his mouth. Everyone in the Senate stopped what they were doing and looked directly at him. Frank almost smiled. That had been a lot easier than he thought it would have been. Then, someone behind him cleared their throat.

Frank slowly turned around, and his eyes widened. A thirteen year old girl was standing behind him, but he knew that this was no ordinary girl. She held the beauty and grace of an immortal goddess. Her silver eyes focused directly on Frank.

"Lady Diana," Frank began. The goddess of the hunt studied him for a moment and then looked around the rest of the Senate. They hadn't received a visit from an immortal ever since Mars' visit. "What do we owe the honor?"

"My lieutenant has fallen ill. She has been affected by the poison that has ravaged the the barrier of Camp Half-Blood. What have you been doing to find the Roman that poisoned the tree?" Diana questioned. A solid gasp sounded throughout the Senate. There was no solid proof that a Roman had poisoned the tree, but a goddess was now accusing one of them.

"One of our own was attacked, and we have been trying to find the culprit," Frank began. Diana turned on him, and Frank almost winced. He knew that Diana didn't like men and probably hated the fact that one was talking to her. "Lupa has been sent a message. We are doing everything we can."

"Have all of the Romans been questioned?" Diana questioned. She looked at all of the centurions and studied them closely. Her eyes focused on Livia. "I heard that one of them had an incident at Camp Half-Blood. Has she been questioned?"

"Lady Diana, my daughter would not shame the legacy of our family anymore by being involved in the poisoning of the tree," Darriah said. She was standing next to Halward and had her eyes focused on her daughter. "Livia has already embarrassed me enough with her actions."

Out of the corner of her eye, Frank could see that Livia was retreating into her seat. Everyone was now looking at her. Frank cleared his throat and brought all of the attention back to him. He spoke, "I am going to question all of the centurions personally. We have the cure for the poison ready. All we need is the blood of the person who created the poison. I'm going to find out who did it. Now."

"Right now?" Diana questioned. Her gaze focused on Frank. He raised his chin and nodded. "Frank Zhang, you have two hours to find who created the poison. Otherwise, I will use very painful, primitive methods to question each and every one of your centurions, and if I do not find a satisfactory answer, I will kill all of them. Is that understood?"

"I'll find who did it," Frank promised. His eyes moved around the rest of the Senate. Diana's threat was very real, and he really didn't want Reyna to wake up and find that they were missing half of their centurions. "I'll report to you as soon as I know who did it."

"See to it that you do. I will be visiting your fellow praetor. Where is she?" Diana questioned. Frank looked down and sighed sadly. He looked up, and something in Diana's eyes softened. "What happened?"

"The dinner was poisoned! It's a sign of our doom!" one of the Lares, Cato, yelled. Frank almost placed both hands to his face. The last thing he needed was Cato to throw the entire Senate into chaos by giving some long winded speech that only wasted more time and caused an uproar. "It's like I always say: a nation can survive its fools, but traitors are another matter."

"We don't need the speech, old man," another Lar yelled. "There is no traitor. This is a deep seeded plot by the Greeks. They gained our trusts, and now, they are going to attack us while we are distracted. We are vulnerable during the Pax Romana. Our senior praetor is poisoned and unconscious. This is all part of the Greeks' plan."

The rest of the Senate exploded into chaos and accusations. Frank stared at all of the arguing. They were completely divided. Half of the Senate thought that the Greeks had been plotting against them all along. The other half thought that it was one of the Romans. Frank had to take control of the situation. He couldn't keep doubting himself.

"That's enough!" Frank yelled. The entire Senate fell silent, and everyone turned to look at him. Frank stood up straighter and looked around. "Someone poisoned the tree at Camp Half-Blood and stole the Golden Fleece. They attacked us. An attack on one of us is an attack on all of us. That includes Camp Half-Blood. We have to work together at a time like this."

"I want all of the centurions who were at Camp Half-Blood to have a conversation with me. None of you are going go leave until we've talked," Frank said. He looked over at Darriah. "And, I want that list of everyone who checked on the dinner. In fact, I want a list of everyone's whereabouts, along with alibis."

Frank turned towards Diana. The goddess was still studying him, as if she didn't know what to make of him. Frank spoke, "My fellow praetor is currently unconscious. Percy and Annabeth are with her. You are welcome to visit them at the infirmary, but I'm not sure when she'll wake."

Diana nodded and walked out of the Senate House. Frank looked at the rest of the Senate. Most of the Lares were grumbling under their breath. They really didn't trust Greeks. Thankfully, most of the senior Romans seemed to be more open minded. It still wasn't good for them to be this divided.

"Praetor, we do not have much time for you to question the centurions," Halward began. Frank slowly looked at Halward. As Frank studied the former praetor, he had to decide whether or not the man in front of him was making a bid for power. If Reyna and Frank were out of the picture, it would be all too easy for Halward and his friends to take power.

Frank frowned. It made sense to poison Frank's cup, to remove him. Why didn't they poison Reyna's cup though? Frank looked down. It wasn't Halward and his friends. There was no way they could manipulate Reyna, so they would have had to poison her cup too. Frank sighed and marked a few of the suspects off his mental list. It seemed like Livia was the prime suspect, again.

"I plan on making it quick," Frank said. He sat two blurs of movement, and two metallic dogs entered his vision. Aurum and Argentum circled around Frank and rested at his side. It was like they knew that questions were coming. "We will need to be alone for this."

Halward didn't seem please, but he nodded. He turned and sped out of the Senate House. Darriah glanced down at her daughter and seemed to whisper something to her. Livia shook her head and stared down at the ground. Frank watched the interaction and watched the rest of the Senate file out of the room.

Most of the Lares left without further incident. Some of them stopped by Frank to warn him of a Greek attack, and Frank just ignored the words. Frank watched the Lares leave, and when he thought the last one was gone, he let out a soft sigh. Someone cleared their throat in his ear.

Frank jumped and turned towards the Lar that had almost given him a heart attack. Frank spoke, "Cato, we talked about this. You have to stop sneaking up on everyone. I also need time alone to question everyone."

"I know, but you must listen," Cato said. He looked around and moved him closer. Frank took a step back. "We have a traitor in our midst. One of the Romans poisoned the tree, and they poisoned the dinner. Please listen to me Frank. It is always the person you least expect."

Cato's eyes moved past Frank and focused on the group of centurions that were sitting by themselves. Frank followed his gaze, and it ended on Hazel. Cato spoke, "It's always the ones that we thought we could trust the most. It makes the twist of the knife hurt even more."

"Hazel wouldn't," Frank protested. The thought had never crossed his mind, simply because Hazel would never poison the tree. "Hazel is the last person who would do anything like that."

"Hazel is the last one you would expect. That makes her the first suspect, praetor. Heed my advice, before the knife gets twisted too deep," Cato said. Without another word, the Lar left the Senate House. Frank was left with the centurions that had visited Camp Half-Blood.

Frank looked at the suspects, and Hazel, that were sitting in front of him. Livia was still staring at the ground, looking as if she had been slapped. She had the most reason to poison the tree, and maybe, it was her. It could all be a bid for revenge, and she was the last one seen with Alfred.

Frank moved his eyes to Nathan. It had probably been two minutes since Nathan had last moved. He was staring at where Diana had been, definitely still in shock. There was no obvious reason for Nathan to poison the tree, which meant it would be easiest to question him.

"Nathan," Frank began. Everyone turned to look at Nathan, and the centurion squirmed in his seat. Frank crossed his arms. "Did you check over the dinner?"

"I, uh, did. It's complicated," Nathan began. His eyes moved to Aurum and Argentum. The metallic dogs had moved closer to the centurions and looked as if they were ready for someone to lie, so they could pounce. "We were trying to hide from everyone. It's the same reason that we weren't in our beds when Alfred was attacked."

"We?" Frank questioned. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw that Leila was blushing. She was sitting next to Nathan. In fact, she was really close to Nathan, extremely close. "You two are dating?"

"A little bit," Leila answered. "We didn't want to tell anyone, so we've been sneaking around. We were caught by one of the Lares and Terminus, about the time that Alfred was attacked. They can vouch for us. At Camp Half-Blood, I didn't leave the cabin that night. My father would kill me if I did anything to be involved in this."

"I did leave, but that was to find Dakota. I came back right after though," Nathan explained. Frank studied the two of them. It almost seemed like they were expecting Frank to be mad at them for their relationship, but at the moment, Frank really didn't care.

"You two can go," Frank said. He glanced at Hazel. His girlfriend looked up at him. Frank couldn't play favorites right now. "Hazel, what were you doing when Alfred was attacked?"

"Sleeping. Dakota is the one who woke me up," Hazel answered. Frank nodded his head and motioned for her to leave. After a moment, Hazel stood. She left the room with the other two centurions.

"This is your bullshit questioning?" Livia asked. Frank looked at the centurion. "I know the game that you and Reyna are playing. Octavian suggested it many times, but he wasn't even daring enough to do it. I didn't think you two had the guts to do it."

"What are you talking about?" Frank questioned. Livia didn't respond. Instead, she seemed to sink deeper into her chair, as if she had given up. A sigh escaped her. "Do you know something more than you are letting on?"

"Oh my gods. You are really committed to this role. You can give up on the act, Frank. Your dedication is impressive, considering you and Reyna have me dead to rights," Livia said. Somehow, she sank even further into her chair and crossed her arms. Frank frowned and looked at Dakota.

"I've been having bad dreams, Frank. I've been seeing Camp Jupiter getting attacked. I even told Reyna about it, but I was too worried to tell anyone else. They would have called me crazy and blamed it on the sugar," Dakota explained. He was practically bouncing up and down. "I took a walk at Camp Half-Blood and while Alfred was attacked. I didn't do it. I swear."

"No one saw you, did they?" Frank questioned. Dakota shook his head. Frank sighed and looked down at the ground. He knew that Dakota hadn't done anything, but he had no proof about it. There was only one way to go about it. "Both of you hold a hand out."

"What?" Dakota asked. Frank looked around for the nearest sharpest object. Aurum looked up at him and almost seemed to grin. The dog's sharp teeth showed Frank's reflection, and the dog walked towards Dakota. "I don't know how comfortable I am with this."

"This is just a formality, Dakota. They're going through the motions, so it looks like they did everything by the book," Livia said. She shook her head again. Frank looked at the centurion and frowned. What was going on in Livia's head? It seemed like she knew more than she was letting on.

"Do you think we're framing you?" Frank questioned. Livia looked at him and smirked, but she seemed more frustrated than anything. "Livia, why would we frame you? I'm trying to figure out who actually poisoned the tree."

"I'm trying to figure out how you convinced Reyna to drink poison that you put in the glass," Livia said. Frank stared at her. Dakota turned his head and gave Frank a look. "I was awake at Camp Half-Blood for the entire time, praetor. Reyna was gone for two hours, and you can't tell me that she was just hanging out with a friend. I saw her when we had that flat on the van. Who brings a duffel bag to patrol a forest?"

"Wait," Frank interrupted. He glanced down at Aurum and Argentum. The two dogs weren't moving, so Livia wasn't lying. "What do you mean she brought her duffel bag into the forest?"

"Exactly what I just said," Livia snapped. She stood and walked towards Frank. "You and Reyna poisoned the tree, and you're going to frame me for it. You turn me over as a sacrificial lamb, and the ties between the Greeks and Roman are strengthened. My family's legacy is finally destroyed, and you get what you want."

"Hold up," Frank said. He held both of his hands up. "We're not framing you for anything, Livia. I don't know who poisoned the tree. Why do you think that we would frame you for anything, and what makes you think that I even care about your family's legacy?"

"That's the question I had for you. I didn't poison the tree," Livia said. Both Aurum and Argentum jumped to their feet and growled. Frank whirled around and barely stopped the two dogs from lunging at Livia.

"Relax," Frank said. Both of the dogs growled, and if they had fur, it would definitely be bristling. Frank slowly let go of them, and the dogs circled around Livia. The centurion looked down at the dogs and gulped nervously. "They only do that when you lie."

"I'm not lying," Livia said. She couldn't stop the quiver in her voice. The dogs growled again. Frank shook his head. He had convinced himself that it wasn't Livia. In the end, his gut was wrong. Frank crossed his arms.

"We're going to Diana. Now," Frank said. Livia glared at him and slowly backed away. The metallic dogs circled around her and didn't let her move much. Frank walked up towards Livia and grabbed her arm tightly. He escorted her towards the exit. "Why did you poison the tree?"

Frank didn't expect a response, and he didn't get one. Livia's eyes were narrowed into a glare, and she focused ahead. Frank almost let out a tired sigh. He had hoped to feel happy or proud to have caught the person who poisoned the tree. Instead, he felt hollow.

The proof had been right there in front of him, and he had refused to accept. There was no telling how much time he had wasted by not believing what everyone was telling him. Frank just hoped that the damage to the tree and Alfred wouldn't be permanent. There was also Thalia. He had no clue what kind of damage was being done to her. They needed to make the cure and deliver it as soon as possible.

"You're making a mistake," Livia muttered. Frank shook his head. Livia was just trying to distract him. He wouldn't hesitate anymore. Frank led Livia outside of the Senate House. "Praetor, don't be a fool."

"I was being a fool," Frank snapped. He turned towards Livia and slammed her into the nearest wall. "I thought that you actually didn't have anything to do with this. I was wrong. You're even more of a psychopath than your brother was."

It occurred to Frank that they were being watched by an audience. He turned his head and saw a few of the Senate were watching. Darriah met Frank's eyes, and then, she looked at her daughter. There was no way to describe the amount of disappointment in Darriah's eyes. Livia spoke, "Mother."

"Not anymore," Darriah said. She turned and walked away. Livia slowly looked at Frank, and he saw something in her eyes that he never expected to see: tears. Livia looked down at the ground and closed her eyes. Frank grabbed her shoulder and led her away from the whispering crowd.

"Why did you poison the tree?" Frank questioned. Livia shook her head and didn't respond. There was no telling what the fallout from Livia's actions would be. Chiron was pretty understanding. Diana was not forgiving, at all. There was no telling what the goddess would do. "Let's hope Diana doesn't kill you."


	13. For the Good of Camp Jupiter

"This is really interesting," Annabeth said. Her eyes focused on the journal in front of her. The front of it was worn and covered in stains and dirt. All of the pages on the left were in Latin, and the English translation was on the right page. Even though it was one of the most interesting things that Annabeth had seen in a long time, she couldn't help but be distracted.

Annabeth glanced to her left. Percy was laying on an empty bed and shooting a rubber band up at the ceiling. The rubber band would hit the ceiling and fall back into Percy's fingers. Then, the cycle would continue. He had stopped complaining about being bored though, which was progress.

Annabeth looked to her right. Reyna was still asleep in the bed, but she had been tossing and turning a lot. The praetor had been muttering in Latin, but it was nothing that Annabeth understood. Reyna didn't seem to be getting any better, and it only caused Annabeth's stomach to twist more and more.

"How do you not find this cool?" Annabeth questioned. She looked at Percy. After a few moments, Percy seemed to realized that Annabeth was talking to him. Percy turned his head and waved. Annabeth crossed her arms. "This journal is from the time of Mithridates! One of his servants wrote it."

"Does it tell us how to find who poisoned the tree?" Percy asked. Annabeth looked down. "Sorry. That was a little harsh. I just don't know how a servant's journal is going to help us."

"It's helping get my mind off of all of this," Annabeth answered. She sighed and flipped to the next page of the journal. "We're sidelined in this stupid infirmary. The Romans won't let us help. If they did, we could have this case busted wide open."

"Frank's got this," Percy promised. Annabeth sighed. She knew that Frank was more than capable of being a leader, but this situation probably wasn't covered in praetor basic training. Annabeth hated that she couldn't help. She wanted to be in control of her own fate. "Alright. Tell me what's in the journal. I can tell it's killing you."

"Well, Mithridates learned that there was a plot to assassinate him. This was before he really solidified his Mithridate and power in his kingdom, so the plot was a real threat to him. An assassin disguised themselves as a servant. Instead of trying to find out who the assassin was, Mithridates decided to fake his own death," Annabeth said. Percy frowned and stopped playing with the rubber band.

"Mithridates drank a test version of his formula for Mithridate. The servant described it as a terrifying experience," Annabeth continued. "Mithridates started knocking over everything on his table and started to cough out blood. He fell unconscious, and one of his doctors declared him dead. They then held a fake funeral for him."

"That's pretty weird," Percy commented. Annabeth rolled her eyes and continued to read through the journal. "Dude starts coughing out blood, and he passes out. Everyone freaks out and thinks he bit the dust. There's got to be an easier way to fake your death."

Coughing interrupted their conversation. Annabeth turned her head and saw that Reyna's eyes were open. The daughter of Bellona looked around, and upon seeing Annabeth, she quickly sat up. Reyna didn't make it to a full sitting position before she collapsed back onto the bed.

Reyna placed one hand to her face and pressed her other arm against her stomach. A small groan escaped her. Annabeth moved to Reyna's side and gently grabbed onto her arm. She could feel that the praetor was burning up, and there was beads of sweat on her forehead.

"Hey, you're awake. How are you feeling?" Percy asked. He moved to Reyna's other side and looked down at her. Through her fingers, Reyna studied the two of them. Her black eyes were practically glazed over, as if she wasn't actually seeing them.

"Where are we?" Reyna groaned. Her eyes looked at Annabeth before moving over to the side. Reyna's eyes narrowed slightly, before she went into a coughing fit. Reyna turned on her side and cursed in pain.

"We're at the infirmary," Percy answered. He grabbed a bottle of water and held it out for Reyna. The praetor shook her head and rolled out of bed. Annabeth quickly grabbed Reyna's shoulders. "Hey. You need to rest."

"You were badly poisoned," Annabeth said. Reyna slowly looked up at her. Thankfully, she allowed herself to be sat back down on the bed. Annabeth knelt by her. "You've been unconscious for a few hours. How do you feel?"

"Like my insides got microwaved, frozen, and then microwaved again," Reyna muttered. She slowly laid back onto the bed and cursed in pain. Her eyes stared at the ceiling. "So, I feel great. Really."

"Gods, I'm sorry. Reyna, this is my fault," Percy said. After a moment, Reyna looked at him. "If I had known there was poison in my cup, I wouldn't have offered it. I'm just really glad that you didn't die. Frank is questioning all of the centurions now."

"Did he learn anything?" Reyna questioned. Percy shrugged. Reyna sighed and closed her eyes. The room was silent for a few moments, until Reyna forced herself into a sitting position. "Was Frank poisoned too? If he's already on his feet, I should be as well."

"Hey, you had a lot more poison than he did. No one's going to blame you if you take a couple hours to relax," Percy said. Reyna shook her head and slowly stood. "Dude, you were coughing out blood and everything. You need to relax."

"Beside, Darriah said she wanted to know when you were awake," Annabeth said. She sighed and looked at Reyna. After a moment, the praetor sighed and laid back on the bed. "Are you sure you're okay? We were worried sick about the two of you."

"I'm fine," Reyna muttered. She placed her other hand to her face and groaned softly. Annabeth gave her a look. "Are you giving me a look? I feel like you're giving me a look. There's no reason to worry about me.

"You drank a lot of poison," Percy commented. He glanced at Annabeth. The daughter of Athena smiled. If Reyna was being this stubborn, she was going to make a full recovery. "Helen was watching over us, per Frank's orders. She stepped away to get more food. I didn't get to eat dinner."

Reyna nodded slightly and stared up at the ceiling. Her eyes made it seem like she was lost in thought. She wasn't trying to get out of bed anymore, which meant Annabeth had one less thing to stress out about. Annabeth leaned back in her seat and closed her eyes. The door to the infirmary slammed open.

Percy was on his feet with his sword out. Annabeth hoped in front of the bed and grabbed her own sword. They both stopped as they saw Darriah step into the infirmary. She glanced at the door and closed it. Darriah spoke, "Praetor, you're awake."

"Unfortunately," Reyna answered. Darriah walked towards Reyna and placed a hand to the praetor's forehead. Darriah seemed to be shaking in anger, and there was something dangerous in her eyes. "What happened?"

"My daughter," Darriah replied. A noise escaped her that sounded like a growl. "She has brought shame upon my family and our legacy. I only hope that she is dealt with appropriately."

Annabeth looked down. She had known that it was Livia that poisoned the tree, but it didn't feel good to hear the pain in Darriah's voice. Reyna spoke, "I'm sorry, Darriah. I know that past few months have not been kind to you."

"No, they have not," Darriah said. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Darriah opened her eyes and moved her hand to Reyna's cheek. "You're burning up, praetor. I'm ordering you to bed rest for the next two days. You're very lucky that you were able to awaken. Alfred is still in his coma."

"I guess I have you to thank," Reyna said. Darriah nodded slightly, and she studied Reyna. "You got there quickly, and I also wasn't stabbed in the lung by a dagger. Am I allowed to rest at my house?"

"Only if someone helps you walk there," Darriah said. Reyna rolled her eyes, and Darriah gave her a pointed look. "We can just keep you locked up in this infirmary. You won't be able to do work that way, and it will be easier to keep an eye on you."

"Fine," Reyna muttered. She held her hands up. "I yield. I'll allow someone to help me to my house. Then, I'll probably pass out for the next twelve hours."

"You better. We'll assist Frank with whatever he needs," Darriah said. Annabeth watched the two and then glanced at Percy. He gave her a small nod and seemed to read her mind. Annabeth looked at Reyna.

"I'll help you back to your house," Annabeth said. Reyna glanced at her and slowly sat up. Annabeth's eyes moved to Darriah. "Percy can also help Frank out. After you get the cure, Nico can take it back to Camp Half-Blood."

"Where is Nico anyway?" Reyna asked. She slowly stood, and Annabeth quickly helped her. Reyna leaned heavily on her and cursed softly. "I'm fine. This is good."

"We forced Nico to lay down and rest, since he was using shadow travel. He was here for a few minutes, but then, he went off wherever. I'm sure we'll find him though. You know how he is."

Reyna nodded slightly, and the two of them walked out of the infirmary. As they walked, Annabeth allowed her thoughts to drift. They had found the person who had poisoned the tree. Now, all they needed to do was finish the cure and give it to the tree.

"What is going to happen to Livia?" Annabeth questioned. Reyna slowly looked at her. "I don't know if you guys have a protocol for this, especially during the Pax Romana."

"Well, it's going to come down to a vote by the Senate. Livia is a good Roman, but with the things that Octavian has done, it might work against her. Although, Darriah is well liked by the Senate. There's no telling what could happen."

"What about attacking Alfred though?" Annabeth questioned. She looked at Reyna. The praetor had pulled away and was able to walk on her own, which was a good sign. "As far as I know, the Pax Romana means no violence at all. What happens if there is a fight or war during the observation period?"

"It's complicated. High ranking officers, as in the praetors, can get away with some violence, as long as it is in not in a battle and for the good of Camp Jupiter," Reyna replied. "If the legion went to war, the gods would curse us. We would have terrible luck in battle. Any battles would be a Pyrrhic victory, if we even won. There's also bad luck with ceremonies, reading of any omens, and a million other things that would happen. The Pax Romana was last broken about a hundred years ago, and both praetors died in a tragic statue related incident. The augur was in charge, until new praetors were appointed. Camp Jupiter was almost destroyed."

"If the praetors are incapacitated, the augur takes control of Camp Jupiter?" Annabeth questioned. Reyna nodded slightly. She stopped outside of a house and looked at Annabeth. "If you and Frank were incapacitated, who would take over Camp Jupiter?"

"Well, we do have an unofficial augur: Kelly. She would take control, but she would be advised by the Senate," Reyna explained. Annabeth looked down at the ground. Percy had explained to her how Halward and his group of friends had their hands in the Senate. If there was no praetors around, they would control Camp Jupiter. Was the poison really meant for Reyna? Did they somehow know Reyna would try some of Percy's drink?

It seemed far fetched, but it also sounded possible. Frank would be out of the picture, at least for a few hours. Reyna would have either taken a drink from Percy's cup or been left alone to watch Camp Jupiter. If Percy had been the one poisoned and had fallen unconscious, it would be easy to threaten to hurt him or Annabeth, if Reyna didn't cooperate.

Annabeth glanced at Reyna. She needed to share her theory, but at the same time, she felt eyes on her. Someone was watching them. Reyna leaned on her door and spoke, "You okay? You look lost in thought."

"I just had a revelation," Annabeth replied. Reyna watched her and slowly pushed herself off of the wall. Annabeth smiled slightly. "Don't worry about it. You need to get your rest. I'll run it by Frank."

"Okay," Reyna said. She looked like she didn't believe Annabeth, but after a moment, she sighed. Reyna opened her door. "I'm going to pass out in my bed now. Wake me up if something or someone is burning."

"You'll be the first to know," Annabeth promised. Reyna studied her for a moment and finally nodded. She stepped into her house and closed the door. Annabeth let out a deep breath. She needed to find Frank soon. He had to know about her theory. If Annabeth was right, Camp Jupiter was still in grave trouble.


	14. It's Going to Kill Him

As Frank paced back and forth, he couldn't stop the nervous pit in his stomach. Truthfully, everything was going good. The professor was making the cure, and he would be done in the next ten minutes, hopefully. Reyna had woken up and according to Percy, she was currently unconscious at her house. Frank made a mental note to visit her.

The only person who looked more nervous than Frank was Percy. The son of Poseidon was staring at the door, as if hoping it would open at any moment. Annabeth had yet to return from escorting Reyna back to her place, and as far as Frank knew, that had been twenty minutes ago.

"I'm sure Hazel just stopped her," Frank said. Percy sighed and nodded his agreement. He still didn't look convinced though. "Annabeth's fine. She probably just got distracted by one of the buildings. You know better than I do about how she is with history."

"You're right. Something just feels off," Percy said. He turned his head and looked at the corner of the room. Livia was sitting in a chair and staring at the ground. She wasn't even reacting to anything around her and was ignoring the questions presented to her by Diana. The goddess didn't seem to find any humor in it.

Livia's eyes flickered to the cut on her arm. She hadn't flinched as Frank cut into her arm and collected her blood. Instead, she had almost seemed to grin. Livia looked up at Frank and shook her head. Her gaze then went back to the ground.

Frank frowned. He knew that Livia had poisoned the tree. Reyna's dogs had confirmed that, so why was he still unsure? Why was he still doubting himself? Frank needed to be confident in his decisions. Frank looked back at Livia. She hadn't offered an explanation or even tried to defend herself.

"If you give Alfred that cure, it's going to kill him," Livia finally said. She looked up at Frank. He turned on her and crossed his arms. "I didn't poison the tree, praetor. You don't have to believe me. You'll know the truth when Alfred is dead because of you."

"You're really bad at this," Percy commented. He turned towards Livia. "First, you thought that praetors were trying to frame you and tarnish your family's legacy. Now, you're telling Frank that giving your blood to Alfred is going to kill him. You're just throwing out the first thing that you think of and hope it sticks."

"I am being framed," Livia muttered, but her voice was quiet. It was like all her strength and conviction had left her. Out of the corner of his eye, Frank saw that Diana was watching them. The goddess' focus was solely on Livia. "The praetors are framing me, even if Frank will never admit it. Or, he just doesn't know about it."

"Why would they poison themselves?" Percy demanded. Frank shot him a look, and Percy returned it. "That's the craziest thing I ever heard. Frank and Reyna are the most loyal Romans I know. Those two would never do anything to endanger their camp or attack one of their own."

"What do you know about being a Roman?" Livia asked. Her eyes moved to Percy. "You are a _graecus_. You know nothing about being a son of Rome. If the praetors were trying to remove a threat, they would do what they had to."

"Your family is not a threat," Frank said. He shook his head. "Octavian made his fair share of mistakes. Well, he made a lot of mistakes. The point is that we don't see you as a threat, Livia. Why do you think that?"

"Octavian told me all about it. He saw it in the omens," Livia muttered. She sighed. "We never told my mother. She wouldn't have believed us. The only person she ever believes is Halward. He has my mother wrapped around his finger."

"Blaming the praetors is not going to save you, and it does not tell me why you poisoned the tree," Diana interrupted. "Are you finishing your brother's work? Did you think that Camp Half-Blood was a threat? Or, are you following your mother's orders?"

"I didn't poison anything," Livia snapped. She looked at Diana. "The praetors did it. You have to believe me, my lady. I would never do anything to hurt this camp. I am not like my brother."

Diana studied Livia for a long moment. She finally looked at Frank and spoke, "We need the cure soon. Thalia's life force, and the barrier around Camp Half-Blood, is weakening. We do not have much time."

"The professor should be done soon," Frank promised. He looked down at the ground. "Actually, I'll go find him and bring the cure personally. Percy, can you get Nico to meet me at the infirmary?"

"Of course," Percy replied. His eyes moved from Livia to Diana. After a moment, Percy started to lead Frank out of the room. "Should we leave Livia alone with an angry goddess though? I can't imagine good things will come from that."

"Livia made her choices. She has to suffer the consequences," Frank replied. He stepped out of the room and took a deep breath. "I'm sure that I will find Annabeth along the way. When I do, I'll let her know that you're looking for her."

"After this whole situation is handled, we're going to the bakery. I need to try those blue cookies," Percy said. Frank smiled and nodded. He walked away from his friend and headed towards the city of New Rome. Most of the Romans would be asleep, but the professor was kind enough to stay awake and finalize the cure.

Frank started to make his way towards the college. He still felt uneasy. Something felt wrong. Frank knew that he was missing a piece to the puzzle, but he didn't know what it was. He didn't even know if it was that important. This praetor thing was a lot more stressful than Frank thought it would be.

"Praetor!" a voice called. Frank stopped walking. He turned around and saw that the professor was jogging towards him. The professor stopped in front of him and smiled brightly. "Did you already deliver the cure?"

"I was coming to get it from you," Frank began. He started at the professor. The stare was returned. "When I first gave you the blood, you said it wouldn't take long. That's why I came back to get it."

"I put it in Reyna's office, like she requested," the professor replied. Frank frowned and looked at the professor confused. "I assumed that she told you as much."

"When did she ask you to leave the cure in her office?" Frank questioned. His gut twisted. Why would Reyna want the cure to be in her office? It didn't make any sense to Frank.

"Before dinner," the professor replied. "If I may, she seemed nervous that something would happen to the cure. If I have to make a guess, I think that Reyna was worried I would be attacked on the way to deliver this, and I wouldn't be able to defend myself too well."

"Thank you," Frank said. He turned and took off in a jog. Their offices weren't too far from the Senate House, but it was still a few more minutes that Frank spent trying to track down the Mithridate. He wanted this nightmare to be over with.

As Frank made it into the offices, he took a few moments to catch his breathing. As he placed his hand to the doorknob of Reyna's office, he heard movement. Frank clenched his fist and stepped inside. Upon seeing no one, Frank quickly looked around.

The source of the noise was Reyna's two dogs. Aurum and Argentum were both fighting over a piece of metal. They stopped their game of tug of war to look at Frank, and upon not seeing their owner, the went back to their game. Frank smiled. The two dogs had left his side after the Senate House, and he had assumed they would have went to Reyna.

Frank shook his head and looked around the office. Unlike his office, everything was perfect. There was a few piles of neatly stacked folders on the desk, along with a few books. A box sat in the middle of the desk. Frank walked towards it and slowly opened the top. Two vials were resting in the box.

Frank let out a deep breath. The nightmare was going to end. He closed the box and turned back around. Frank looked around the rest of the office. He saw that Aurum had won the war for the toy and was curled up with it. Argentum was playing with a box of his own.

"Why don't you two go back your owner?" Frank questioned. He studied the two dogs for a moment and finally smiled. Frank left Reyna's office, but he kept the door open enough for the dogs to get out. The last thing he needed was for Reyna to yell at him for trapping her dogs in a room. Although, they were magic, right? They would be able to get out of the room on their own.

Why were the dogs in the office anyway? Frank glanced back at the dogs and finally shook his head. He really needed to deliver the cure. After that, he would check on his fellow praetor and make sure her dogs came back to her.

Frank began his walk back towards the infirmary. There was still that pit in his stomach. What did the dreams have to do with anything? Was it unrelated? Was Livia working with an outside force?

It didn't matter though. The cure was in his hands. Frank sighed and continued his walk. He looked down. His mind needed to stay open to the possibility that there was a plot against them. Frank quickly looked around. No one was in the shadows watching him. He let out a deep breath and turned back around. His heart almost jumped out of his chest, as he saw that Darriah was standing in front of him.

"Everyone really needs to stop doing that," Frank muttered. Darriah studied the box in his hands. She finally motioned for Frank to walk. He studied Darriah for a moment. "What did you need?"

"My daughter didn't do any of this," Darriah replied. Frank started to walk, and Darriah stayed close by him. "My children are many things, but they would never go this far."

"You already disowned your daughter," Frank said. He kept walking and kept a tight grip on the box. If Darriah made a move, he would take her out. Frank's mind moved to Darriah's other, deceased, child. He remembered exactly how Octavian had acted. Darriah's children could and had gone very far.

"Yes. I did," Darriah replied. She sighed. "It's how you play the game, praetor. If there is even a small chance that anyone thinks my daughter did this, I cannot be associated with her. Reputation in New Rome rules all."

Frank stopped walking. Darriah cared more about her reputation than her own child? Was this why everyone at Camp Jupiter was so messed up? Everyone cared for power and not their own family. Gods, was Frank going to end up like that?

"Do you even care about your children?" Frank asked. Darriah stared at him and, and her eyes narrowed into a glare. "Octavian died because no one kept him in check. Livia is going down that same path. I don't know if she poisoned the tree for revenge or to make a bid for power. The point is that you should check in on your daughter instead of worrying about your reputation!"

"Did you finish your report on Alfred's attack?" Darriah asked. Frank frowned. Darriah's eyes were narrowed in a glare. Frank finally shook his head. The report was in his office, and he had gotten maybe a sentence down. There was a lot more pressing issues. "Have you even started it?"

"No," Frank replied. He raised his hands. "I don't know why this is important. A stupid report can wait, until we know that Alfred is safe. I haven't even started the stupid thing!"

"Does anyone else know how Alfred was attacked?" Darriah questioned. Frank blinked a few times in confusion. He shook his head. "So, the only ones who know about how he was attacked is me and the two other children of Apollo. You never told anyone that he was stabbed in the lung?"

"I haven't told anyone," Frank replied. He sighed and shook his head. "This is a waste of time, Darriah. It isn't helping Livia either. The only thing I can do is get this cure back and keep Diana from punishing your daughter too harshly. The best thing I can offer is turning her over to the Greeks. Their punishment won't be as harsh as the Romans."

"If you can give me a few hours, I can tell you who really poisoned the tree," Darriah said. Frank shook his head. "Look, you can deliver the cure. If it doesn't work, my daughter is innocent, and the tree will only get worse. Alfred will probably die."

"It will work," Frank said. The two met eyes. After a moment, Frank took off towards the infirmary. Darriah followed right behind him. The rest of the walk was in silence, but Frank could just feel that Darriah was steaming in anger.

As Frank stepped into the infirmary, he was relieved to find that Percy and Nico were there. Nico was leaning against the wall and studying Alfred. Percy was pacing back and forth once again. Frank walked towards Alfred and opened the box. He stared down at the vial and then glanced at Darriah.

"He just has to drink it," Darriah said. She held her hand out for the vial. Frank studied the woman in front of her. He had already cleared Darriah and her friends of any wrong doing, but what if he was wrong? Frank took a deep breath and handed the vial to Darriah.

Darriah knelt by Alfred and gently lifted his head. She opened the vial and poured the liquid down Alfred's throat. Frank stood there for a few moments and waited for something to happen. Alfred didn't cough or seem to react. The cure had to work. Frank couldn't afford to be wrong.

After a few moments of waiting, nothing happened. Frank sighed and looked down. Alfred suddenly coughed. Frank's head snapped up, and he hurried towards Alfred. Darriah turned Alfred on his side.

Alfred started to cough up blood and something green a moment later. Darriah rubbed his back, but she looked down. She spoke, "It's working. The poison will have to be expelled, just like it was for you and your fellow praetor. Alfred should wake in a hour or two, and the damage done to his organs should be healed by the cure."

"Good. Let's get this to the tree," Percy said. Frank nodded and closed the box. He handed it to Nico. "Send us an Iris message as soon as the tree seems to be getting better. When Thalia wakes up, I want to know."

"I got it," Nico promised. He gently cradled the box. "I want a message for when Reyna wakes up. I haven't been able to check on her."

"She's fine. You have to go," Percy said. He practically dragged Nico out of the room. Frank sighed and looked at Darriah. Her gaze was focused on Alfred. There was tears in her eyes.

"I prayed that my daughter didn't do this. I can't lose anyone else," Darriah whispered. She slowly stood and took a deep breath. "First, my husband leaves me, and the father of my son passes away. Then, my son dies. I can't lose my daughter. Praetor, please. I'm begging you to give mercy to my daughter."

"I'll do what I can," Frank said softly. He looked down at Alfred. The color had returned to Alfred's face, and he already looked a lot better. "When he wakes up, we can ask him about what happened. I'll get a few children of Apollo to watch over him. You need to be with your daughter."

"You're right," Darriah whispered. She took another deep breath. "I will talk to her and try to find out why she did this. Livia didn't tell you why she did this, when she confessed to you?"

"No," Frank replied. "Livia was denying that she had done anything. She said that she didn't poison the tree, and Reyna's dogs growled. They can tell if someone is lying, and they typically try to tear that person apart. I barely stopped them from attacking Livia."

"I see," Darriah said. She closed her eyes and nodded. "Thank you, praetor."

Darriah stood and walked out of the room. Frank watched her leave, and a deep breath escaped him. He would have to find Annabeth and drag her away from whatever she was studying. Then, Frank had to take Percy to the bakery for those cookies, if Darriah would even have it open. After all that, Frank would visit Reyna and check on Camp Half-Blood. The most important thing was that they had found the cure, and everyone was safe.


	15. It Wasn't Suppose to Be This Way

As Annabeth's eyes drifted open, the first thing she smelled was fire. Her eyes snapped open, and she quickly tried to move. Ropes kept her wrist and feet trapped to the chair that she was in. A small fire was burning in a barrel in front of her.

Annabeth took a few moments to blink. The last thing she remembered was leaving Reyna's house. She had gone to find Frank, and when she was halfway to the Senate House, everything went dark. Annabeth didn't remember if she had been ambushed or had just lost consciousness. A door behind her opened and then slammed shut with a deafening groan.

A figure walked past Annabeth and stopped in front of the barrel, presumably staring at the fire. Annabeth stared at the person in front of her. They wore a set of Roman armor, but there was a hood thrown over their head. No ribbons or decorations adorned their armor, so they were either of a lower rank or just trying to hide their identity. After a moment, the figure looked at Annabeth. Shadows played across their expressionless, steel mask. Annabeth could barely see the opening for eyes and a mouth.

Annabeth looked down and saw that her palms were facing upwards, and there was no way to twist her arms in the ropes, unless she wanted to tear her skin open. Her captor looked back at the fire and moved a hand to their belt. Annabeth caught the sight of a few pouches and a dagger. They muttered something in Latin and placed a hand to their throat. Then, they walked by Annabeth and looked down at her.

"You're working with Livia," Annabeth stated. She looked up at the figure and met their dark eyes. The figure just stared down at her, silently. Annabeth glared. She wasn't going to be intimidated by the scare tactics of her captor. All she had to do was hold out, until her friends found her. "It doesn't matter. The cure is made. Your plot isn't going to succeed.

"Why attack during the Pax Romana?" the person asked. Their voice sounded familiar but too disoriented for Annabeth to make out. Annabeth's mouth was forming another question, but she stopped as she heard her captor's words. What did they mean attack during the Pax Romana? Did the person think that she had attack Alfred. "Why?"

"I'm not going to attack during anything," Annabeth said. She looked up again and met the person's eyes. Those eyes held something cold in them, and it almost seemed like they actually believed Annabeth was planning something. "I didn't even know the Pax Romana was something that Romans celebrated, until recently."

"Do not lie to me," the person hissed. A dagger appeared in front of Annabeth's eyes. She focused on the cold steel. "I am only going to give you one chance to answer, or I will strip your flesh from your bones and offer it to the gods. Why would you plan to attack Camp Jupiter during the Pax Romana?"

"I haven't planned any attacks," Annabeth insisted. It was clearly the wrong answer, as the person grabbed Annabeth's arm. The dagger pressed in on Annabeth's wrist. "I never had plans to attack Camp Jupiter. This is some kind of trick. That's why the tree was poisoned."

The rest of Annabeth's words dissolved into a yell of pain. She watched as the dagger entered her wrist and slowly began to cut down her arm. She quickly looked away and let out another yell of pain as the dagger was pulled away. Annabeth slowly looked back and watched her captor toss a strip of flesh into the fire, as if to make good on their promise to offer it to the gods.

Annabeth's eyes moved down to her wrist. Blood was starting to trickle from the open wound that stretched from her wrist to elbow. Her captor grabbed tongs and pulled something out of the fire. Annabeth stared at the burning bracer, and it was pressed to her wound.

Another yell of pain escaped Annabeth. She took deep breaths and closed her eyes. After what felt like an eternity, the bracer was removed from her arm and presumably placed back into the fire. Annabeth felt a presence behind her.

"I don't want to do this, Annabeth. You are forcing my hand," the person whispered. Annabeth slowly forced her eyes open. She couldn't even look at her arm, but she could smell the burning flesh. Her captor seemingly had no interest in killing her. "How were you going to attack Camp Jupiter?"

"I wasn't going to attack Camp Jupiter," Annabeth hissed. She tried to calm her breathing and tried to think of a way out of her situation. Her eyes moved around her surroundings, but there was no other lighting in the room. In fact, there was nothing else in the room. It also didn't seem like the person cared about how much noise Annabeth made. They couldn't have left Camp Jupiter easily, so were they underground?

"Listen," Annabeth began. She couldn't ignore the burning pain in her arm, and it was making it hard to think. "Someone has lied to you and tricked you. They told you that I was planning to attack Camp Jupiter, but I'm not. You have to believe me. Livia is the one who poisoned the tree."

"I know what you're capable of," the person said. They seemed to take a deep breath, and they placed their dagger back to Annabeth's arm. Annabeth could see the person's hand was shaking slightly. It didn't seem like they wanted to hurt her. Were they being threatened into doing this?

"I can help you," Annabeth said quickly. The person glanced at her. "Who is threatening you? What are they holding over your head? I can help you. The praetors can as well. Whoever is doing this won't get away with it."

"The only threat here is you," the person said. They took another deep breath and started to cut into Annabeth's arm again. Annabeth bit her tongue. Her captive did not believe anything that she was saying. They were thoroughly convinced that Annabeth was guilty.

Annabeth knew that she couldn't admit to the crimes. Her captive had not taken off their mask. They either thought they would be found, which didn't seem likely, or they weren't planning on killing Annabeth. There was no telling what would happen if she confessed to the crime that she wasn't guilty of.

Annabeth couldn't stay silent though. It would only cause her a lot more pain. She had to think of a plan and quickly, but the feeling of her skin being cut from her bone brought her back to reality. Annabeth yelled in pain again. The person didn't stop till they were at her elbow. Annabeth stared down at the ground.

Her heart was racing, and the smell was starting to get to her as well. Annabeth didn't even feel the bracer being placed to her arm. She just remembered yelling in pain, and everything turned dark. When Annabeth's eyes snapped open, she realized she had blacked out, if only for a few moments.

"Who told you I was going to attack Camp Jupiter?" Annabeth asked. Her voice sounded weak. She couldn't bare the sight of her bloodied and burned arm, so she just focused on the person. They were staring down at the fire. "You seem convinced. You must have some kind of proof."

"War plans. Dreams. Intercepted messages. Inquiries. You leave a trail with everything that you do," the person whispered. They took a deep breath. "I know what you are capable of, Annabeth. I know the destruction that you bring wherever you go. Bellona showed me what you were going to do."

Annabeth's eyes narrowed in confusion. Why would the Roman goddess of war accuse Annabeth of planning an attack on Camp Jupiter, especially during the Pax Romana? The person continued, "She showed you leading Camp Half-Blood to war. She showed me the books. I know what you're going to do."

The person took a deep breath and seemed to be trying to regain their composure. Annabeth looked down. The only Roman books that she knew of were about the incomplete Sibylline books that told prophecies for Camp Jupiter, but as far as she knew, most of the pages were lost. A few bits and scraps were preserved in Apollo's temple, but only high ranking Romans actually knew what was in the pages.

"I am not planning on attacking Camp Jupiter," Annabeth swore. The person walked towards her and knelt in front of her. They reached into the pouch on their belt and held up a coin. Annabeth stared at the silver drachma, and it took her a few moments to recognize it: the Mark of Athena.

As far as Annabeth knew, she was the only recent person to have been sent on a quest to follow the Mark of Athena. Her mother didn't have any Roman children, so there was only one person who could have the coin, especially if Bellona was the one talking to them.

"Oh gods," Annabeth whispered. The events of the past few days flew by her. The answer had been in front of her the entire time, but she couldn't believe it. Only high ranking Roman officials knew what was in the Sibylline books. During the Pax Romana, only praetors could attack one of their own without cursing the entire camp. Only one person would go this far, for the good of Rome. Annabeth stared up at her captor. "Reyna."

"The more things change," Reyna muttered. She stood and walked back towards the fire. Her shoulders drooped slightly, as if she was tired. Her hand gripped the dagger tightly, but it seemed like her whole arm was shaking. "It wasn't suppose to be this way, Annabeth. You were suppose to leave Camp Jupiter, before the Pax Romana. I would have assured my camp was safe, and then, I would have returned the Golden Fleece and gave the antidote to the tree."

Annabeth stared at Reyna. She tried to speak, but her mouth wouldn't work. Reyna sighed tiredly and spoke, "I am going to get a confession from you, whether you give it willingly or not. Then, I am going to take you to the Senate. They will decide your fate."

"Reyna, why are you doing this?" Annabeth questioned. Reyna looked at her. There was no reading her face, since the mask was covering it. Her obsidian eyes held no emotion. "Reyna, who's forcing you to do all of this?"

"You," Reyna replied. She looked Annabeth in the eyes and then placed the dagger to Annabeth's uninjured arm. Reyna closed her eyes and seemed to take a deep breath. Annabeth tried to speak, but the dagger entered her arm, and everything was washed away by pain.


	16. What Makes Now Different

Annabeth's eyes drifted open again, and a soft groan escaped her. Everything felt like it was on fire, and it took her a few moments to realize it was her arms. Annabeth looked down at her forearms and instantly looked away from the bloodied and burned skin. Her eyes moved to the other person in the room.

"Reyna, I would never plan to attack Camp Jupiter," Annabeth whispered. She could barely hear her own voice. Reyna glanced at her. The praetor was standing in front of the fire and examining her bloody dagger. "You know that. Someone has tricked you."

"The only person that tricked me was you," Reyna muttered. She shook her head. "I can't believe I trusted you. I can't believe I let you get close. The past has already shown me all I need to know. You destroyed one of my homes before, and you were so close to doing it again."

"Is this about Circe's island?" Annabeth questioned. She stared up at Reyna. The praetor turned towards her and watched her in silence. Reyna still the her mask on her face, so it was impossible to read her reaction. "I did what I had to do, Reyna. It was never something personal. I was just trying to save my friend."

"Now, you are going to destroy Camp Jupiter, to save your friends. My mother showed me everything," Reyna muttered. "She showed me that we cannot coexist for long. All I need is for you to confess your crimes to the Senate. They will judge you harshly, but it will save your camp."

"We've had this conversation before, and you had faith in me," Annabeth said. Reyna finally looked away and shook her head. "You let me go before. What makes now different?"

Reyna walked towards Annabeth again. She placed the dagger to Annabeth's right wrist and held her hand down. Annabeth spoke, "Reyna, we can talk this over. I haven't planned anything. I would never attack Camp Jupiter."

"I saw the plans. I've had the dreams. For Bellona's sake, a Hunter of Artemis showed me!" Reyna snapped. She cut much deeper into Annabeth's arm this time. Annabeth yelled in pain and closed her eyes. The dagger was removed a moment later. Annabeth slowly opened her eyes.

Reyna was standing in front of the fire once again. She leaned against the barrel and took deep breaths. The process of being flayed was taking a great physical toll on Annabeth, but it seemed to be taking a great mental toll on Reyna.

"We can work this out, Reyna. Someone has tricked you," Annabeth insisted. Reyna took a deep breath and stared at the ceiling. She gripped her dagger and walked back towards Annabeth. "Reyna, your mother is wrong. Whatever dreams she has been showing you are wrong. I would never do this."

"I have all the proof I need. This is in the best interest of Rome," Reyna hissed. She cut in Annabeth's arm again. "All you had to do was listen to me and return to Camp Half-Blood. Instead, you stay here. I cannot have an enemy within the gates."

"I'm not an enemy," Annabeth wheezed. She watched the dagger slide smoothly down her arm. The pain washed over her and threatened to drag her into unconsciousness. Annabeth's arms were quickly running out of skin for Reyna to flay "Why poison yourself at the dinner?"

"To get rid of you, Annabeth Chase. At first, I was only going to poison Percy and keep you in the infirmary with him. When I realized that it would only encourage you to start your investigation, I took the poison for Percy. It would clear me of suspicions long enough to secure your confession."

"There is no confession to secure," Annabeth said softly. Reyna grabbed her arm and twisted it in the rope. Annabeth's eyes watered in pain, and Reyna placed the dagger back to Annabeth's arm. "I didn't do anything, Reyna. Please."

Annabeth needed to think. She needed time. If the pain would stop, she could think. Annabeth spoke, "Why steal the Golden Fleece? The gods won't forgive you. Zeus won't. His daughter's life is in danger."

"In a perfect world, no one would have known," Reyna whispered. She tapped the dagger against Annabeth's knuckles. "I stole the Golden Fleece, to weaken your camp. If Camp Half-Blood was weakened, you couldn't attack until after the Pax Romana. We would have been ready for you."

"We can go back to Camp Jupiter and work this out," Annabeth wheezed. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw movement. A small amount of light trickled in from a crack in the door. Her eyes moved back to Reyna. The praetor started to look where Annabeth had. "We can figure this out, together."

"You will go back to Camp Jupiter, in chains," Reyna promised. She looked back at Annabeth. "I will not allow you to destroy another one of my homes. Who gave you the blueprints to Camp Jupiter? Was it Jason?"

"I don't have blueprints," Annabeth began. A fist slammed directly into her face. Reyna paced back and forth. She was seemingly starting to lose her temper. Annabeth stared at her friend. Nothing that she said seemed to be getting to Reyna.

"I've seen your battle plans," Reyna said. She knelt by Annabeth and grabbed her face. "I've seen you in my dreams. Hell, I saw the offerings to Mars. You were going to attack us during the Pax Romana, but poisoning the tree stopped you. Your army had to defend its own borders. In response, you were going to kill Frank."

Reyna flashed another dagger. It was a myriad of colors, and something told Annabeth that it was extremely dangerous. Reyna spoke, "I don't know how you learned of this dagger, and I don't know why you would keep it with your things. Do you think I am a fool?"

"I don't think you're a fool," Annabeth began. The tip of the dagger rested against her nose. She did her best to not focus on the point of it. Annabeth spoke, "Livia is innocent, isn't she? You framed her."

"Livia would have been fine. I would have made sure of it," Reyna responded. She stood and closed her eyes. Annabeth heard a creaking noise, and she turned her head. Reyna looked up, and an arrow tore into Reyna's forearm.

"Stand down," Darriah ordered. She stepped into the room with her bow notched and raised. Reyna took a step backwards and placed a hand to her forearm. "What are you doing to the Greek?"

"Getting a confession," Reyna replied. Darriah slowly looked around the room. Her eyes focused on Annabeth and then the dagger that Reyna had dropped. Darriah lowered her bow. "This Greek has planned to attack our camp."

"And, you have proof," Darriah questioned. Reyna nodded once and motioned towards a corner of the room. Darriah raised her bow once again and pointed it directly at Reyna. "Grab it."

Reyna nodded and walked towards the corner of the room. She came back with a backpack and pulled out a folder. Reyna held it up and spoke, "This is the battle plans that Annabeth made to attack our home. I compared it with her battle plans from when Camp Half-Blood fought Kronos. It has the same paper, writing, pen that was used, and signature on the bottom."

"I didn't," Annabeth protested. She looked at Darriah. There was no telling which way the woman would go. "Reyna framed your daughter for this. I don't know why, but I wouldn't attack your camp. My friends live here."

"I am going to get a confession from her and bring this before the Senate," Reyna said. She walked towards Annabeth and grabbed the dagger from the ground. Annabeth looked down and watched the blood trickle from Reyna's forearm. It was the same blood that had poisoned her home. "You can help or stand aside."

Darriah lowered her bow and walked towards Reyna. She grabbed the folder from her hand and studied it. Darriah knelt by the backpack and studied everything that was in it. Annabeth focused her gaze back on Reyna. That was two Romans against her.

Annabeth looked down at the ground and started to move her wrist in the ropes. The pain was unbearable, but she forced herself to keep trying to free her arms, until Reyna grabbed onto her wrist. Reyna spoke, "Just confess. I am losing my patience."

"I haven't planned anything," Annabeth whispered. She closed her eyes. This was a nightmare come to life. Reyna had to be under charmspeak, or something else was clouding her mind. She wasn't thinking clearly. Annabeth just didn't know how to convince Reyna of it.

"Praetor, look at this," Darriah said. After a moment, there was a sickening noise, followed by a thud. Annabeth's eyes snapped open, and she took in the scene in front of her. Darriah was holding onto something that looked like a piece of concrete. Reyna was on the ground and had blood trickling from her temple. "Why would you ever frame my daughter?"

Reyna blinked a few times and slowly looked around. There was a dazed look in her eyes, and hopefully, the sense had been knocked into her. Darriah grabbed an arrow and used the razor sharp edge to cut through the ropes that held Annabeth's arms.

"How bad are you hurt?" Darriah questioned. Annabeth shook her head in pain. She took a deep breath and looked up at Darriah. The Roman studied her for a moment, as if she didn't fully trust Annabeth. "How badly?"

"Very," Annabeth replied. She almost sighed as nectar was poured on her forearms. Darriah reached towards her pocket, but her feet were suddenly kicked out from under her. Reyna pinned Darriah to the ground and pressed her forearm against Darriah's throat.

Annabeth grabbed the fallen dagger from the ground. She cut the ropes that kept her legs tied to the chair. Her arms burned from the effort, but she ignored the pain. Annabeth gripped the dagger and knew she had only one option. She went to stab the blade right into Reyna's back.

At the last moment, Reyna turned and caught the dagger with her injured forearm. A loud hiss of pain escaped from her. Annabeth twisted the dagger and tried to slam her knee into Reyna's face. The praetor caught her knee and threw her backwards.

Annabeth didn't even manage to hit the ground before two hands were wrapped around her neck. Reyna kept Annabeth pinned with her knee. The fingers on her right hand were struggling to keep their grip, and blood was trickling down her arm and towards her fingers.

"This is insane," Annabeth wheezed. She grabbed onto Reyna's hands, but her forearms burned with pain. There wasn't much she could do. Annabeth struggled to breath, but new strength suddenly flowed through her limbs. Annabeth took a deep breath and suddenly shoved Reyna away.

Annabeth scrambled away, and her eyes shot around for the nearest weapon. There was no weapons on her, and Reyna was almost halfway to her feet. Her eyes then shot to the piece of fallen concrete on the ground. Annabeth lunged for the concrete and grabbed onto it.

Annabeth turned and slammed the concrete into Reyna's temple. Reyna stumbled and collapsed to her knees. Annabeth used all of her might to slam the concrete into Reyna's temple once again. The praetor collapsed to the ground, and the concrete cracked in Annabeth's hands.

The sudden burst of strength ended, and Annabeth collapsed to her knees. She stared up at the ceiling and sent a thanks to the god or goddess that had saved her life. Her eyes finally moved down to her arms. The wounds had reopened and were bleeding again. The sight of her burned and bloodied skin made her sick to her stomach. A glance to her right showed that Darriah was slowly sitting up. There was a dagger buried in her stomach.

Annabeth looked down at Reyna. The praetor was seemingly unconscious. There was a large cut and bruise on Reyna's temple. The wound was bleeding pretty badly, but Reyna would make it. Then, she would be able to explain her actions.

"Why would you do this?" Annabeth whispered. She knelt by Reyna and gently grabbed the mask that covered her face. Reyna's groaned, and her eyes fluttered open, before they closed again. Annabeth removed the mask from Reyna's face. Other than the blood that was flickered across the mask, there was nothing special about it.

Annabeth placed a gentle hand to Reyna's face. She opened Reyna's eyelids enough to see her eyes. There was nothing to indicate that the praetor had been under the influence of charmspeak, but this wasn't something that Reyna would do, if she was in the right state of mind.

"We need to bring this before the Senate," Darriah said. She slowly got to her feet. Annabeth stood and quickly helped Darriah. "And, you need to see a doctor. The wounds can't get infected."

"We take care of you first," Annabeth began. Darriah waved her off. Annabeth looked down at Reyna. "How did you find me in the first place?"

"Bellona showed me where to go. I've had my suspicions for some time now," Darriah replied. Annabeth nodded slightly. She looked at Darriah. It all seemed a little too convenient that Darriah had just appeared at the right time. "We must hurry, before they decide to punish my daughter."


	17. Someone Should Have Warned the Trojans

"Do not move your arms too much," Darriah ordered. She slowly finished wrapping bandages around the daughter of Athena. Annabeth Chase was holding strong, but Darriah could feel how badly the girl was shaking. Being flayed was not something Darriah ever wanted to experience, especially now that she was seeing the results.

"Do you know what is wrong with Reyna? She wouldn't do this," Annabeth said. Darriah remained silent. She didn't know the praetor on a personal level, but she knew how dedicated Reyna was to Camp Jupiter. If Reyna truly thought that Annabeth was a threat, this entire situation was a possibility. It didn't make sense that Reyna would not go to the Senate first though.

"We will figure this out," Darriah promised. She finished the bandages and stood. Pain burned in her stomach for a moment, but she bit her lip. The stab wound was nothing more than a distraction. "Wait here. I will restrain and wake the praetor. The three of us will head to the Senate and tell them what happened. Hopefully, they hadn't already driven a nail in."

"Driven a nail in?" Annabeth asked. Darriah looked at the Greek and didn't answer. Attacking an ally of Camp Jupiter was like attacking a fellow Roman. If the Senate had found Livia guilty already, they would be swift in the execution of her punishment. Darriah would not allow her daughter to take the fall.

Darriah walked back to the room that praetor was in. Reyna was laying on her back and had one hand to her face. It seemed like she was feeling the gash in her temple. Her hand slowly moved to her forearm and the dagger that was lodged into it. A soft groan escaped Reyna, and instead of grabbing the dagger, she moved her hand back to her face.

The praetor either thought she was alone or was struggling to come back to complete consciousness. Darriah would not take any chances though. She grabbed some of the spare rope from the ground and knelt next to Reyna.

"Praetor, can you hear me?" Darriah whispered. Reyna groaned and blinked a few times. Her eyes slowly met Darriah's, and for a moment, there was confusion on her face. Her eyes widened. Before Reyna could move, Darriah used her knee to pin both of Reyna's arms.

"You can't let Annabeth roam free," Reyna said. Darriah roughly tied Reyna's wrist together. Then, she removed the dagger from Reyna's forearm. The praetor cried out in pain and tried to move her arm.

"Don't," Darriah ordered. She looked down at Reyna and quickly bandaged her arm. Darriah pulled the praetor to her feet. "We are going to the Senate, and you are going to tell them what you did. How dare you frame my daughter?"

"She would have been fine," Reyna said. Darriah shook her head and shoved the praetor forward. Reyna stumbled and collapsed to her knees. She placed both hands to her forehead. After a moment, Darriah walked towards her. It angered her to no end that her daughter was being used as a pawn, but she had to be careful.

"I will help you walk," Darriah said. She just needed to get the praetor to the Senate, to explain what was going on. As Darriah grabbed onto Reyna's arm, an elbow slammed into her stomach. Darriah was thrown over Reyna's shoulder, and she hit the ground hard. Her stomach burned in pain, and she growled in anger.

Reyna reached out for the dagger but seemed to be seeing double or triple. Her hand finally grabbed the dagger. Darriah stood and and slammed her knee into Reyna's temple. The praetor collapsed like a brick. Darriah shook her head angrily and knelt next to Reyna.

"Severe concussion. Damn it," Darriah whispered. She examined the praetor. A string of curses left Darriah, and she closed her eyes. It took a few moments for her pain to subside. Now, she would have to carry Reyna to the Senate meeting and make sure that Annabeth didn't pass out along the way.

Darriah could respect someone who did everything to defend their home. The praetor had taken things too far though. Poisoning their allies and even her fellow praetor was beyond forgivable. Darriah didn't know how Reyna was going to explain her actions, and she didn't care. She just needed to make sure her daughter was safe.

As Darriah's hand brushed Reyna's temple, a chill ran down her spine. Darriah recoiled and slowly looked around. The room felt darker than before, and she could feel an odd weight pressing down on her chest. Darriah slowly stood and stared down at Reyna.

"Someone should have warned the Trojans," a voice whispered. Darriah froze and slowly turned around. She stared at the man that stood in the corner of the room. The shadows wrapped around his face, but Darriah would recognize him from anywhere.

"Daniel," Darriah whispered. She stared at him and blinked a few times. Daniel was the father of Livia, but he was dead. Darriah still wasn't over his death, so what kind of cruel trick was this? "Who are you?"

"No one warned the Trojans, but we will warn the Romans," Daniel said. He stepped out of the shadows. His body seemed solid, and his voice was real. The kindness in his eyes was still there. "I warned the praetor of the new Trojan Horse: the demigods sent between the camps."

"Who are you?" Darriah repeated. She grabbed the dagger from the ground and held it out in front of her. Daniel studied her with a sad expression. "Who are you? Why are you taking his form?"

"We came to warn you, mother," another voice said. Darriah slowly turned around. In the opposite corner, Octavian was standing there. His pale eyes were full of sadness and regret. Darriah slowly walked towards her son. She reached a gentle hand out and pressed it to his face. Her heart lifted as she touched solid skin. "You must listen."

"You're dead," Darriah whispered. She lowered her hand and stared. Octavian pulled her into a hug and held her close. "How are you doing this?"

"We cannot watch our home be destroyed," Octavian whispered. "We warned the praetor of the Greeks. We showed her that she could not trust the Greeks. They have been manipulating us for far too long, but the praetor is weak. She wants to draw a confession from Annabeth Chase. No. Annabeth Chase must die."

"Why would the Greeks attack us?" Darriah questioned. She looked down at Reyna. The praetor had been one of the biggest advocates for the Greeks, so what evidence had been presented to turn the greatest supporter of the Greeks against them?

Darriah had seen the evidence of course. There was a few battle plans that were apparently signed by Annabeth. She held a dagger that belonged to Aristonicus: a rebel who swore to free Greece from Roman occupation. His dagger was rumored to be able to put a god to sleep, causing their powers to cease. One swipe to Terminus would cause all of the protection he provided Camp Jupiter to disappear.

There was also the blueprints of Camp Jupiter, and it held hidden paths and tunnels that only high ranking Romans knew about. It begged the question of was it an inside job. Was someone helping Annabeth Chase? Was someone framing her? Was it a bit of both?

"I showed her," Octavian whispered, and even thought that was the voice of her son, Darriah knew that it wasn't him. What was happening to her? "Do you want your home to be destroyed?"

"Who are you?" Darriah asked. Octavian brushed her temple, and flashes of images ran through Darriah's skull. All she saw was death and destruction. She could hear screams all around her and pleas for mercy. Darriah collapsed to her knees as it all became too much for her.

"We cannot let the camp burned. Annabeth Chase destroyed before, and she will destroy again," Daniel snapped. "She will soak our world in blood. We must stop her. Confessions are only needed to confirm guilt. We know she is guilty. Her world must burn, before ours is flooded by blood."

"The praetor is going to lose her will. She is too weak to fight the Greeks. She must be handled," Octavian whispered. "The praetor will stop you. She must be killed."

Darriah tried to speak, but she received another flash. This time it was more clear. Reyna and her dogs had Annabeth cornered. Words were exchanged, but Darriah couldn't understand what was said. Eventually, Reyna turned and left.

"The praetor will let her live," Octavian whispered. "We know this, and we tell you. Please do not let our home be destroyed."

"I won't," Darriah whispered. She blinked a few times and tried to think, but her focus was on the fact that Annabeth Chase was going to destroy her home. She had to handle the girl and handle her now. Darriah's gaze focused on the dagger. All she had to do was slit Reyna's throat and then slit the throat of that traitorous Greek. Or, she could make it look like they killed each other.

Darriah could hear Octavian and Daniel willing her on. She studied the dagger and brought it to Reyna's neck. The praetor didn't stir. A hand suddenly grabbed Darriah's shoulder, and she snapped back to focus. The dagger fell from her hand.

"What happened?" Diana asked. Darriah slowly looked at the goddess. She couldn't just tell Diana that a war was going to happen. That wouldn't work. The goddess could very well take the side of the Greeks, and that would spell disaster for Camp Jupiter.

"I found the praetor torturing Annabeth Chase," Darriah answered. She slowly stood. "I believe the praetor has played a hand in the poisoning of the Greek camp."

Diana looked down at Reyna and didn't say a word. Her eyebrows came together in what could have been confusion or anger. Diana finally spoke, "We must bring this before the others. Help Annabeth Chase. I will bring the praetor."

"Of course," Darriah said. She grabbed the dagger from the ground and slowly stood. Darriah turned and left the room. She made it to Annabeth's side and studied her. The Greek looked ready to pass out on her feet.

"Is everything okay?" Annabeth asked. Darriah nodded and placed a hand to Annabeth's shoulder. Her other hand slid the dagger into her waistband.

"Everything is under control. We need to get you to the infirmary," Darriah said. She would take care of Annabeth's arm and stay close to her. When the coast was clear, she would eliminate the threat to Camp Jupiter, once and for all.


	18. You Are Too Loyal to Your Friends

"For the last time, we are not going to crucify anyone," Frank said. His eyes moved around to look at the Senate. Upon request from Diana, they were meeting to discuss Livia's punishment. Frank had already read off Livia's crimes, which included attacking a fellow Roman, attacking their allies, and breaking the sacred oath of the Pax Romana. Death would be the light punishment.

Every punishment that the Senate brought forth was making Frank's gut twist. He understood that people needed to be punished for their crimes, but at the same time, they could not be cruel. If it was only up to Frank, he would have let Camp Half-Blood decide the punishment. The hardest part would convincing the Senate to allow it.

Camp Half-Blood would probably have a lighter punishment, and it wouldn't bring them any closer to the Golden Fleece/. Most of the Senate thought that torture was the way to get answers. Some of the Senate thought that a cruel punishment that preceded death would give them answers, and it would also appease Diana.

To Livia's credit, she didn't seem scared by any of the suggestions. She was just sitting in a chair and staring at the ground. Her weapons and armor had been taken away, and her hands were tied in front of her. Livia wasn't trying to defend herself anymore.

"I have a new idea," one of the Senators said. Frank closed his eyes. He didn't know how it could get any worse. "We bury her alive, so she can think about what she did."

"No," Frank interrupted. He let out a deep breath and tried to relax. Frank was never the best talker in the world, but now, he needed to convince the Senate to listen to him. He remembered his promise to Darriah. Somehow, he would have to convince the Senate that Camp Half-Blood should pick the punishment.

"Livia broke our most ancient of laws, but she also attacked our ally," Frank began. He focused on the centurion. Livia just stared at the ground and remained silent. "Camp Half-Blood is in immediate danger because of what Livia did. In a sign of good faith, we should allow them to decide how to punish Livia."

"No," A Lar said immediately. He stood up so fast that it looked like he was about to fall over. "Why should the Greeks pick the punishment for a Roman? Should we ask the Greeks how to run our army next?"

"If the roles were reversed, wouldn't we want to pick the punishment?" Frank asked. He stood straighter, to draw everyone's attention. "If our barrier was poisoned and we learned that a counselor from Camp Half-Blood did it, would we be content with watching Camp Half-Blood punish them?"

The Senate slowly looked around and murmured to each other. Frank heard a soft growl, and he turned his head. Aurum and Argentum had been curled up by Reyna's chair, but now, they were standing and seemed to be tense. Frank heard footsteps, and he focused back ahead.

It took Frank a few moments to process the scene in front of him. The first thing he noticed was Annabeth's arms. There was bandages wrapped around her arms, but there wasn't enough of the bandages to cover everything. Frank stared at the skin that looked like it had been removed then cauterized. Annabeth's arms were shaking, but she made no noise of pain.

Darriah was holding onto Annabeth's shoulder and seemed to be steadying her. There was a dark look on Darriah's face. Her stomach had a bloodied bandage wrapped around it. Frank's eyes moved to the right, and his eyes widened. Diana was holding onto Reyna, and his fellow praetor looked like she was out on her feet. There was a nasty gash and bruise near Reyna's temple.

"Reyna," Frank whispered. After a moment, Reyna looked at him. She glanced around at the rest of the Senate. Diana shoved Reyna forward, and she fell to her knees. Reyna pressed both of her hands against her head. "What happened?"

"Reyna was torturing Annabeth," Darriah replied. Frank stared. That couldn't be right. Reyna would never hurt Annabeth. "Reyna believed that Annabeth was going to attack Camp Jupiter, and she was trying to draw out a confession."

"She framed Livia for poisoning the tree," Annabeth said. Frank tried to process the words, but they didn't make sense. How could Reyna frame Livia? Why would she frame Livia? None of that made any sense. If Reyna was framing Livia, did that mean that Reyna poisoned the tree?

"Reyna. Did you poison the tree?" Frank asked. Reyna looked up at him. She nodded once. Murmurs ran throughout the Senate. Frank felt like his entire world was spinning, and he stumbled backwards. Frank grabbed onto his chair to steady himself.

"I poisoned the tree, and I framed Livia," Reyna said. She slowly stood. Blood covered the side of her face, and it was clear that she had a concussion. Reyna placed one hand to her temple. Diana grabbed her shoulder roughly and shoved her back to her knees.

"My lieutenant is awake. Handle your business here. There had better be a good explanation when I come back," Diana warned. Frank looked away as the goddess began to glow. When he looked back, he found Reyna staring at him.

"Take Annabeth and yourself to the infirmary," Frank ordered, as he looked at Darriah. Darriah studied him for a moment and nodded. She helped Annabeth walk out of the room. Frank slowly looked back at Reyna. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. It couldn't be true.

"I have proof that Annabeth Chase was going to attack us during the Pax Romana," Reyna said. She shakily stood. "If the Senate will hear me, I will present it, and if Diana wants to punish anyone, she can punish me."

"No," Frank said. He turned towards Livia and freed her from the rope that was tied around her wrist. "I'm sorry for accusing you. Go be with your mother."

Livia nodded and glanced back at the Senate. Then, she turned and hurried out. Reyna spoke, "Frank, you must listen to me."

"You tortured Annabeth. How could you do that?" Frank demanded. Reyna glared at him and whistled. Frank tensed as Aurum seemed to appear back at his side. He could have sworn that Aurum hadn't left the room, but now, the hound was holding a backpack in his mouth.

"The proof is in there. Pass it around," Reyna said. She blinked a few times and grabbed a chair to study herself. After a moment, a Senator stood and grabbed the backpack from Aurum. He started to take the items out and pass them around.

"When Lady Diana called me for help, I ran into someone who warned me that Annabeth was going to attack us. She showed me the proof," Reyna insisted. Her gaze moved around to the rest of Senate. She didn't even look at Frank.

"Annabeth would never attack us," Frank insisted. He looked at Reyna. After a few moments, Reyna looked at him. "You know that she wouldn't do anything to harm us. Whoever told you this is a liar."

"No," Reyna muttered. She closed her eyes for a few moments. Frank tried to think, but his mind felt like it was frozen. Why had Reyna tortured Annabeth? Why were they even talking to the Senate about Annabeth planning to attack them. Frank looked back at the Senate and watched as the pieces of so called proof were passed around.

"Why didn't you tell me about this?" Frank demanded. He knew that he needed to take control of the conversation. At the same time, his mind was still unfocused. Why would Reyna keep this a secret? Did she not trust him? Why did she even go along with this crazy plan? "We could have found out the truth, together."

"You wouldn't have believed me," Reyna muttered. She slowly sat down and placed both hands to the cut on her head. Her eyes almost seemed glazed over. Frank wished the look was from charmspeak or something else that would be clouding her mind, but he knew it was just from a concussion. "You fought beside her."

"You fought beside Annabeth as well," Frank argued. He didn't hear the shuffling of papers anymore, and it occurred to him that the entire Senate was watching them closely. Frank slowly realized that his argument with Reyna would determine who the Senate sided with, and it had to be him. "I know that Annabeth would never betray us."

"That is why I couldn't tell you," Reyna said. She stood from the chair and met Frank's eyes. "I was not the one who sailed the world with Annabeth. I did not form an unbreakable bond with her. You two fought side by side in battle, and that kind of bond means I cannot trust you."

"We could have talked this through. You had no right to poison the barriers of one of our allies. You took matters into your own hands," Frank said.

"To save my home," Reyna snapped. She looked at the Senate. "Frank, I have seen the destruction that Annabeth has caused firsthand. She has blueprints for our camp, detailed notes of everyone's schedule, patrol routes, paths through secret tunnels, battle plans signed with her signature, and a dagger that would cause our own barrier in New Rome to fall. I will not turn a blind eye to that."

"Annabeth was my friend too, but I will not be blinded by that fact. I care about the safety of my people," Reyna said. Frank could see the rest of the Senate nodding, and his mind started to race. "Frank, I could not trust you to keep this a secret. You are too loyal to your friends."

"I'm not," Frank began. As he looked around at the Senate, his heart almost dropped. None of them were focused on him. They all looked at Reyna, as if waiting for orders. Frank knew he had no chance of winning over the Senate, not against Reyna. She was the one who led the camp by herself for months. The Senate knew that Reyna would do what was best for New Rome, but why didn't they realize that Frank would as well?

"I will talk to Lady Diana, but I am sure she will agree with me," Reyna said. Her gaze turned from Frank to the Senate. "If she does not agree, any punishment she wants to hand out will be my burdern to bare. I do not want any of my campers to suffer for the things I had to do to protect us. I want Annabeth and Percy placed under guard. If Nico comes back, he will be placed under guard as well."

"Reyna," Frank said. She slowly looked at him. Frank could feel his frustration boiling over. No one was listening to him. Why didn't the Senate trust him like they did Reyna? Frank took a deep breath. If he couldn't win them over, he would have to play along. "You are right. I am too loyal to my friends, but I am more loyal to New Rome. What do I need to do to prove that?"

"Just listen to me," Reyna answered. "I didn't want to take the drastic step of poisoning the barrier, and the gods know that I feel terrible about Thalia. I did not want her to get caught in the crossfire."

"I'm listening," Frank promised. He really hoped that she believed him. "You lead."

Reyna watched him for a few moments. Her eyes narrowed slightly, but she finally looked away. Reyna placed her hand back to her temple. Frank spoke, "You need to see a doctor. We can talk to Diana while someone looks you over."

I don't need a doctor," Reyna muttered. She tried to take a step forward but ended up stumbling. Frank rushed forward and caught her. It took a few moments for Reyna to look up at him. "I'm fine."

"You need a doctor," Frank insisted. "We will talk to Diana together, and we will figure this out. I'll support you. I promise."

After a few moments, Reyna slowly nodded. Frank glanced at the rest of the Senate. Did they believe him? Without waiting for a confirmation, he wrapped Reyna's arm around his shoulder and helped her walk away.

It didn't take long for Reyna to lean heavily on him, and Frank realized just how injured she was. He steadied his fellow praetor and tried to think. Talking to Diana should work out in his favor, but Reyna sounded confident that Diana would believe her. Why would she think that? Frank looked down. It didn't matter what he had to do. Somehow, he would figure this out and make sure that another war didn't start.


	19. She Wanted You to Die

Frank hated to see the look of betrayal in Percy's eyes. He couldn't blame Percy though. Finding out that your girlfriend had been tortured by someone that you thought could trust had to be harrowing. To learn that the other person you thought you could trust agreed to keep you under watch had to feel like a dagger in the heart.

Frank didn't even have to say a word either. When he walked into the infirmary flanked by two armored Romans that immediately stood guard at the door, Percy seemed to know exactly what was going on. His shoulder had deflated, and he just stared at Frank.

Now, all Frank could do was stare back. He tried to soften the blow by having Dakota or Hazel be one of the guards, but Reyna had shut him down. She ordered him to have two Romans that only knew how to take orders watch over the Greeks.

"Percy, the Senate has agreed for you two to kept under guard, before your trial," Frank said. Percy's eyes widened, and his hand slowly started to move to his pocket. "We will speak to Lady Diana first, as Reyna is going to explain her side of the story."

Frank stared at Percy, praying that he would get the hint. Frank still believed in them. He would do everything that he could to defend them, but at the same time, Frank could not go against the Senate. Not in a situation as delicate as this.

"I won't let anyone else hurt Annabeth," Percy warned. Frank nodded slightly and closed his eyes. He wanted to apologize, but he couldn't. If he showed any favoritism towards the Greeks, Reyna would have him placed under guard next. His gaze moved towards Annabeth.

Darriah was gently taking care of Annabeth's arms. Annabeth looked like she was in too much pain to really understand what was going on around her. It broke Frank's heart to see. He took a deep breath and tried to calm himself. He needed to stay focused.

"Just stay here Percy. Everything will work out," Frank promised. He met Percy's eyes. After a few moments, Percy took his hand out of his pocket. He didn't seem relaxed, and his gaze was focused on the guards. Hopefully, he understood that Frank was on his side.

Frank turned and nodded towards the guards. He walked out of the infirmary and made his way towards Reyna. She was standing with her arms crossed, as a doctor gently cleaned the blood off of her face. There was a bandage over her temple. Two Senators were talking to her.

"Let me talk to Lady Diana," Reyna said. She winced in pain and glanced at the doctor. "I know she will take my side, but I must confirm it. A goddess on our side will help us defend our point. The Olympians will understand."

"If Diana does not agree with you, how do you know she will not punish us?" Halward demanded, as he walked up behind them. "You did not consult the Senate about this. You did not tell us what you were going to do."

"I only did that so the consequences would fall on my head and only my head," Reyna stated. She slowly turned towards him. "I know that you do not like to have things fall out of your control, Halward, but your complacence will be the end of New Rome."

"If you are wrong praetor, you will bring about the end of New Rome," Halward snapped. He shoved past Reyna and stormed into the infirmary. Reyna slowly turned her head and watched him go.

"Keep an eye on him," Reyna ordered. One of the Senators nodded and hurried away. The doctor wiped the remaining blood from Reyna's face and stepped away. "How bad is it?"

"You're clearly concussed, but the nectar should have you back to normal in a day or two. I recommend taking it easy for at least three days and try to avoid anymore blows to the head," the doctor said.

"I'll keep that in mind," Reyna muttered. She closed her eyes for a few moments. The doctor turned and walked back towards the infirmary. Frank glanced back as well. He didn't like the thought of so many Romans being near an agitated Percy and a hurt Annabeth. When Frank looked back ahead, Reyna was watching him.

"Thank you for doing what is right, Frank. I know it is hard, but we must take our feelings out of the equation and do what is best for New Rome," Reyna said. She made it sound so easy. How was Frank suppose to take his feelings and bottle them away?

"I'll talk to Lady Diana with you," Frank stated. Reyna gave him the slightest of nods. Then, she turned and walked towards the Senate House. After taking a deep breath, Frank followed behind. He didn't know how things were going to turn out. Diana had been hostile when she first dragged Reyna into the Senate meeting, so why was Reyna so sure that she could convince the goddess to not be mad about what had happened?

If it had just been a matter of Reyna poisoning the tree and only the tree, Frank could see where maybe Diana would take their side, especially if Reyna had adequate proof. With Thalia getting caught in the crossfire, there was no way Diana would side with them. Her lieutenant was on death's door, and it was all Reyna's fault.

They made it towards the Senate House in silence. Frank slowly followed Reyna inside. The rest of the Senate had disbursed, leaving the room empty and almost silent. The only sound Frank heard was heavy boots hitting the ground. Frank's heart dropped as he saw Diana waiting for them. The goddess slowly looked at them.

"Lady Diana, if you allow me to explain," Reyna began. She bowed, despite the pain that crossed her face for a brief moment. "I have proof that Annabeth Chase was planning an attack on Camp Jupiter. I can show you."

Diana studied Reyna for a few moments. She finally spoke, "Start from the beginning. How did you first learn that Annabeth Chase was going to attack Camp Jupiter?"

"When I went to the temple to talk down Junia, she warned me about Annabeth," Reyna began. She slowly walked towards her bag and pulled out the evidence once again. She walked towards a table and laid it all out. Diana walked by her side to look down at it. "Annabeth and I have exchanged battle plans for the war games and capture the flag, and I have studied how she creates her plans. This plan here is very similar to how she would attack, and it marked with her signature."

Reyna's hand moved down to the bottom left corner, where an owl was burned into the paper, like a stamp of approval. Reyna spoke, "It does not look like much on its own, but I found this in Annabeth's room. It was tucked into the front cover of one of her Latin books."

"And you just stole the war plans from her room?" Diana questioned. She was studying the map with a small frown.

"This is the copy that I made of the original battle plan," Reyna answered. She winced and leaned on the table. "Junia told me that she found the battle plan when she visited Camp Half-Blood and accidentally knocked Annabeth's books over. She saw the battle plan as she was picking it back up."

"Junia said that is why she went to the temple. She never wanted revenge on Blackbeard. She just didn't know how else to get in contact with me," Reyna stated. "At Camp Half-Blood, I found the dagger of Aristonicus under Annabeth's bed. It was locked away in a box. Then, I found the files that Jason and Annabeth have been passing back and forth."

"Inside, I expected to find blueprints for temples and plans on how to improve them. Instead, I found the blueprints for Camp Jupiter, with every single secret entrance and tunnel clearly marked," Reyna continued. Her voice was full of anger and betrayal. "There was patrol routes marked and a paper that held all of the Senators schedules on it."

"You're implying that Jason was helping Annabeth plan to attack his home. He wouldn't do that," Frank argued. Reyna looked at him.

"Is Camp Jupiter still Jason's home?" Reyna asked. She stood straighter. "Has he not been spending most of his time at Camp Half-Blood, despite the fact that he is suppose to be our Pontifex Maximus. Even if Jason did not maliciously give the information to Annabeth, she could have tricked him into giving it."

Frank bit back a frustrated sigh. Reyna was fixated on this entire thought that Annabeth planned to attack them. Looking at the evidence, he just didn't find himself convinced, because he knew Annabeth better. Annabeth would not attack them.

"I was unsure, until my mother gave me a sign," Reyna whispered. She closed her eyes. Diana studied Reyna silently. "I knew that I had to take action. The Pax Romana was drawing near, and I could not allow another home to be destroyed."

"Another home?" Frank interrupted. Reyna slowly looked at him. "You said earlier that you had seen Annabeth's destruction first hand. What happened?"

"After I left Puerto Rico, Hylla and I found Circe's island. We tried to make the best of our situation and make a home of it. One day, Annabeth and Percy stumbled upon our shores. Percy was turned into a guinea pig by Circe, and Annabeth freed him. However, she also freed that pirates that Circe held captive. Blackbeard exacted a price from us," Reyna answered.

"Annabeth only did those things to save Percy. Why would she attack Camp Jupiter?" Frank questioned.

"I thought you were going to support me," Reyna snapped. Frank remained silent. "I do not know, Frank. That is why I questioned her about it."

"Why poison the tree?" Diana interrupted. "Why steal the Golden Fleece?"

"I knew that Annabeth was going to attack us during the Pax Romana," Reyna stated. "I also know that the best defense is offense, so I took the initiative. I poisoned the tree with a mixture that I learned about from the college, and I took the Golden Fleece, so that it could not heal the tree."

"How did you get the Golden Fleece out of Camp Half-Blood?" Diana questioned. Frank frowned and tried to think back. His heart almost stopped as he realized the answer.

"I hid it in my duffel bag, and on the drive back, I let air out of the tire," Reyna replied. "While Frank changed the tire, I had everyone patrol the forest. I buried the fleece underneath an old, white tree and carved my mother's symbol into it. Once the Pax Romana was over, I planned on returning it."

"I never meant for Thalia to be caught up in this. I did not realize that she was still connected to the tree," Reyna said. She leaned on the table and buried her face in her hands. "I'm sorry. I truly did not mean for her to be harmed. Is she doing okay?"

"She has awakened," Diana replied. Her gaze moved to Frank. "From what I understand, Livia's blood was used by the professor to make the cure. If you poisoned the tree praetor, how did Livia's blood make the cure?"

"The professor made the cure with Livia's blood and dropped it off at my office. My dogs switched it out for the real cure," Reyna answered. Frank looked down and closed his eyes. "If Alfred's health worsened, I would have given him the cure early."

"You attacked the child of Vertias, so he could not tell that you had poisoned the tree?" Diana asked.

"Yes," Reyna answered. "I could not allow myself to be discovered, until the Pax Romana ended. That is why I crippled Camp Half-Blood, so they could not mount a force to attack us. When Annabeth insisted on coming to Camp Jupiter, I thought that I was wrong about her army, and I thought she was going to use former, disgruntled legionnaires or even monsters. That is why I poisoned the dinner."

"If you poisoned Percy's cup, why would you drink the poison?" Frank demanded. He also wanted to know why Reyna had poisoned him, but at the same time, he was scared to know the answer.

"To clear myself of suspicion," Reyna answered after a moment. She frowned and seemed to think. "It would give me time to draw a confession from Annabeth."

"If Percy had taken the poison, he would have been in a coma. Your fellow praetor was out of commission for a few hours. It would not have been hard to get Annabeth alone and question her or even frame her for the poisoning," Diana said. "Why chance taking yourself out of commission, when no one would suspect you from the start?"

Reyna looked like she was going to answer, but a look of confusion crossed her face. She finally spoke, "I knew the Greeks would give me nectar, and that would counteract the poison."

"What if they didn't have nectar on them?" Diana questioned. "You would have fallen into the same coma, and there would have been no cure. You would have died, which means Thalia, Alfred, and the tree would have died as well."

"No," Reyna muttered. She stared at the table and looked absolutely lost. Frank studied his fellow praetor. That was not a look that he was use to seeing on her face. "I knew that wouldn't happen."

"How?" Diana questioned. Reyna didn't answer. She shook her head slightly and seemed to be lost in thought. "Praetor, did you poison yourself willing?"

"My mother said to," Reyna began. She slowly looked around, as if she could find something in the Senate House that would give her an answer. Frank slowly moved next to Reyna. "It was like a voice in my ear."

"How many people were at the temple?" Diana questioned. She stood straighter, and her hand clenched slightly, as if she had a weapon in it. "Was it just you and the girl?"

"It was," Reyna replied. She frowned and seemed to think about it. "But, my mother spoke to me before I left. She even appeared to me."

"Has she ever appeared to you before?" Diana asked. Reyna slowly shook her head. "Are you sure it was your mother?"

"I don't know," Reyna said after a moment. Her eyes widened, and she slowly sat down. "I thought it was my mother."

"What did she look like?" Diana asked. Her hand gently grabbed Reyna's shoulder. Reyna was staring at the ground, and her mouth was open, maybe in shock. Frank stared at Reyna and slowly leaned on the table near him. His gut twisted.

"Just like the statue here in camp," Reyna whispered. "She sounded like an older version of Hylla."

"Your mother does not look like the statue," Diana replied. Reyna closed her eyes tightly. "She appeared according to what you think your mother looks like, but that was not your mother. It seems like you were tricked, praetor."

Reyna slowly opened her eyes and stared at Diana. There was a shocked look on her face. She slowly spoke, "Is that why Junia came to me and not to you?"

"I do not know why this Junia would come to me in the first place," Diana said. She crossed her arms and seemed to be thinking.

"Junia is one of your Hunters," Reyna said. Diana froze and slowly looked at her. "Brown, short hair. Green eyes. The left side of her face has a bad burn on it from the pirates. It's never really healed."

"Chelsea," Diana whispered. Reyna frowned. Diana grabbed onto the table, like she needed it to steady her. Frank stared at the two of them and felt his gut twist even more. "She joined a few months ago. Was always quiet and didn't say much about herself."

"So, Chelsea is actually Junia?" Frank asked. Reyna met his eyes. "She pretended to want revenge on Blackbeard, and you were asked to talk her down. Lady Diana, why didn't you talk her down yourself?"

"I did not know who was in the temple. Chelsea hid her face from me and also disguised her voice somehow. She said that if we did not handle Blackbeard, she would kill herself. I could not allow a maiden to die, and she told me that Blackbeard had tortured her and the other attendants from Circe's island. Upon going to Circe, I learned that the praetor knew Chelsea, but Circe also called her Junia. I did not know they were the same person."

"Lady Diana asked me to talk her down, and it wasn't hard," Reyna said. She frowned and seemed to be lost in thought. "After we talked, she hugged me, and that's when my mother started talking to me."

Diana suddenly grabbed Reyna's head and forced it back. Reyna winced in pain and tried to pull away from the goddess. Diana studied her eyes and spoke, "You said that your mother gave you signs, and she talked to you?"

"Yes," Reyna began. Frank glanced at Diana. The goddess slowly let go of Reyna's face. "But, that wasn't my mother talking to me."

"No. It wasn't," Diana confirmed. "But, someone or something posed as your mother and warned you that Annabeth Chase was going to attack Camp Jupiter."

"What if Junia didn't want revenge on Blackbeard?" Frank interrupted. Both Reyna and Diana looked at him. "Junia was an attendant at Circe's island, right? Her home would have been destroyed when Annabeth freed the pirates."

"Oh gods," Reyna said. "She had a younger sister: Penny. It was a month after the pirates took us captive that Penny died from disease. Blackbeard threw her body overboard, and Junia jumped after it. We were close to shore, so I was sure that she survived. Blackbeard didn't care enough to go back for her. One less mouth to feed."

"Because of the pirates, Junia lost her home and sister. Annabeth was the reason that the pirates were released in the first place," Frank said. He looked at Reyna. "Junia tricked you. She lied to you that Annabeth was going to attack Camp Jupiter. How did she know you would cripple Camp Half-Blood's barrier though? Did she tell you to try and destroy Annabeth's home?"

"I just thought of it," Reyna whispered. She closed her eyes and buried her face in her hands.

"Praxidike, " Diana said. The goddess let out a deep breath. "Themis told me that one of the goddesses who help her deliver justice, Praxidike, has been out of control lately. It seems as if she influenced Reyna and convinced Reyna that she needed to take drastic measure to defend her home."

"Then, this Praxidike told you or convinced you to drink the poison. It wasn't to clear yourself of any suspicion. She wanted you to die," Frank realized. His gaze was focused on Reyna. She still had her face buried in her hands and was not moving. "How could Praxidike do that though? Wouldn't Terminus sense them nearby and alert someone?"

"Praxidike and some of the others that are under Themis' command are more spirit than goddess," Diana said. Frank looked at her confused. "Praxidike has some powers on her own, but if she were to possess someone, she can influence their thoughts or actions."

"Does she control them?" Reyna asked quietly. It almost sounded like she was crying, and the regret in her voice was impossible to miss. Reyna didn't look up at them.

"No," Diana answered. "Your actions were the ones you decided on. She just nudged you along the way. I do not sense Praxidike anywhere."

"Maybe, she left Reyna, after Reyna poisoned herself," Frank began. Diana nodded her agreement. Frank looked down. If Praxidike had left Reyna and was no longer influencing her, it meant that Reyna torturing Annabeth was something she did all on her own. That thought made Frank's stomach twist. "But, the barrier has the cure. We just need the fleece, right?"

"You will show us where you buried it," Diana ordered. Reyna nodded and didn't look up. "Thalia is awake but still weak. It seems like the cure worked on the tree, but I will still check on Camp Half-Blood. Chelsea was with my other Hunters when I left, so I find her afterwards and bring her here for a trial. I will also find Praxidike and inform Lady Themis."

"What should we do?" Frank asked. Diana studied him for a few moments. Then, she looked at Reyna.

"Tell the Senate what happened," Diana ordered. "Then, explain to Annabeth Chase and Percy Jackson what happened. Make sure they are taken care of."

Frank nodded and slowly looked down at Reyna. His fellow praetor was not looking up. Her head was still buried in her hands. Frank gently grabbed her shoulder. He wasn't sure how to feel. Reyna had been tricked, but the things that she did was almost all on her own.

"We'll figure this out," Frank promised. He gently rubbed Reyna's back. Diana was studying both of them in silence. Frank looked down. He didn't know how they were going to handle everything, and he didn't know what would happen in the aftermath. The one thing that he did know was that everything had changed, and the relationship between the two camps would probably never be the same again.


	20. Who Was She to Take on an Empire

"They suspect something," Octavian whispered. His gaze was focused on the two praetors that stood by the door. Frank was standing up straight and looking directly at Percy. Reyna was staring at the ground and did nothing to hide the regret in her face. "We told you her resolve would weaken. She was not strong enough to finish this!"

"They know nothing," Daniel stated. His gaze had not moved from Annabeth. The daughter of Athena was sleeping. It had taken some convincing, but she finally allowed herself to rest. It would make her a much easier target. "She will destroy your home, and you must stop her. Now!"

Darriah opened her eyes and slowly stood from her chair in the corner of the room. Her gaze slowly moved around the room. Frank and Percy would not be an easy fight, but if Darriah could get them to leave the room, she would be able to slit Annabeth's throat. The wildcard was Reyna. Why couldn't she complete her task?

"I don't know what to say Percy. I'm so sorry," Reyna whispered. She looked up, and there was tears in her eyes. Reyna closed her eyes and looked down once again. Her shoulders were slumped in defeat. Darriah looked away from the display of weakness. A hand gently brushed Darriah's, and she looked to her left.

Livia squeezed her hand but didn't look over. She had been glued to Darriah's side, ever since entering the infirmary. Darriah knew that her daughter was scared. She also knew that she should have been grateful that Livia was safe, but the task ahead was more important. She needed to save New Rome.

Percy didn't say a word. He just stared down at Annabeth. There was a sad look in his eyes, and he shook his head. Frank glanced in between them. Reyna spoke, "I'm sorry."

"When are we getting the Golden Fleece back?" Percy asked. His question was directed at Frank. Reyna turned and left the infirmary. Darriah almost smiled. That was one less problem to deal with. "Frank, I need to know what is going on!"

"Diana is getting ready to go with Reyna to find Chelsea and the Golden Fleece," Frank replied. He stood and held his hands up in front of him. "I know you are mad, Percy. I know words aren't going to fix anything, but we are going to get the Golden Fleece soon. Diana just wants to make sure the person responsible for this doesn't get away."

"It sounds like the person responsible for this is outside," Percy snapped. He looked down at Annabeth and let out a deep, irritated breath. Percy sat down and buried his face in his hands. Frank sat down as well.

"I know it doesn't mean much, but Diana said a spirit was influencing Reyna," Frank began. Darriah's eyes flickered up. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Livia was watching intently as well. Percy slowly looked up. "It doesn't excuse what Reyna did, but she would have never done this if the spirit didn't convince her."

"I'm mad, Frank," Percy admitted. He stood. "No. I am furious and pissed off beyond belief. Annabeth almost died, and I can't just let Reyna walk away from that. There has to be consequences."

"There will be," Frank promised. He nodded his agreement. "After we get the Golden Fleece back and find the Hunter responsible for this, we will bring this to Senate. They will punish Reyna appropriately."

"Or cruelly," Percy muttered, and he looked back at the door. "Reyna's probably beating herself up more than I could. Do you think she truly regrets it, Frank? Or is it just a show?"

"Percy, she's broken down about five times since learning she was deceived," Frank said. He looked back at the door as well. "Reyna thought she was doing the right thing, and she was utterly convinced that Annabeth was going to attack Camp Jupiter. I know Reyna feels terrible about what she did."

"Mom, let's just get out of here," Livia whispered. Darriah closed her eyes. She could feel the irritation boiling. Her focus needed to be on the task laid out before her, and her daughter would be nothing more than a distraction. Somehow, Annabeth Chase would die by her hands. "Mom."

"No!" Darriah snapped. It took her a moment to realize that everyone in the room was looking at her. Darriah slowly looked at Livia. "Go to the bakery. I will be there soon."

"Mother," Livia began. Darriah stood and grabbed Livia's arm tightly. Pain appeared on her daughter's face for a small moment. Darriah tightened her grip and dragged Livia out of the infirmary. When they made it outside, her daughter pulled away. "Why do you care about what happens with that?"

"Why are you questioning me?" Darriah asked. She raised her hand, and Livia stared at her. Darriah grabbed Livia's face tightly. "Do not question me."

"Since when?" Livia asked. Darriah let go of Livia's face. Then, she backhanded her daughter as hard as she could. Livia's head snapped to the side, and the blow caused her to stumble backwards. She placed a hand to her cheek, where Darriah's ring had cut the skin open.

"Do not make me tell you again," Darriah snapped. Livia stared at her. Darriah turned and walked back into the infirmary. Annabeth was awake, and it seemed like Percy was explaining what had happened.

Darriah walked back to the corner of the room and sat down. She looked down at the dagger tucked inside her belt. It was the one she had taken from the praetor. Darriah hoped that it was the one that ended Annabeth's life.

"She has them wrapped around her finger," Octavian whispered. Darriah slowly looked at him. "Annabeth Chase knows how to work the people around her. The praetors have seen her plans and the steps she has taken to destroy our home. Yet, they blind themselves to her evil. How could they?"

"They let themselves be manipulated," Daniel whispered. He laughed. Darriah turned her head to the left. "They let their feelings get in the way. You cannot fail like that."

"I can't believe this," Annabeth whispered. She stared at the ground and shook her head. "This can't be happening."

"We're going to figure this out," Frank promised. "You just need to rest. Diana should be taking Reyna right now to rectify this."

"Reyna's going with her? Annabeth asked. Frank nodded. "I want to talk to her when they get back."

"I don't know if that is a good idea," Percy began. He exchanged a look with Frank. Darriah watched the two boys. Why couldn't they just leave? Would she have to kill both of the Greeks? "But, that is a problem for are we have the fleece back."

"We have to be smart about this," Annabeth said. She looked at Frank. "We have to show unity in this. No matter what."

Darriah rolled her eyes and looked at the ground. She closed her eyes for a few minutes. As she sat there, anger boiled in her chest. Who was Annabeth to try and attack her home? Who was she to take on an empire. Darriah heard footsteps, and when she opened her eyes, the two boys were gone. Darriah blinked a few times and slowly stood. Annabeth was laying back in the bed and staring at the ceiling.

"Are you doing okay?" Annabeth asked. Darriah slowly looked at the Greek and nodded. "The stomach wound looked pretty bad."

"It's nothing," Darriah answered. She stood and walked towards Annabeth. "How do your arms feel?"

"I can't really feel them right now," Annabeth admitted. Darriah rested her hand near her belt, inches from the dagger. "Is Livia doing alright? I can't imagine she is too happy."

"She's fine," Darriah answered. She slowly pulled the dagger from her belt. Then, she raised it and stabbed it downwards. A weight slammed into Darriah, and the dagger sunk into the pillow near Annabeth's head. Darriah fell to the ground and stared up at her attacker. Livia stared down at her.

"Let go of my mother," Livia ordered. Darriah punched her daughter hard in the face. Then, she slammed her elbow into Livia's jaw. Her daughter collapsed to the ground, and Darriah slowly stood.

Annabeth had rolled to her feet, but she ended up stumbling, apparently still weak from her ordeal. Darriah avoided an attack from Annabeth, and she threw the Greek into Livia. Darriah laughed and spoke, "Revenge will be had."

Darriah slowly realized she wasn't in control of her actions. She grabbed the fallen dagger and examined Annabeth. The Greek was barely able to sit up. Livia stood in front of Annabeth. Darriah spoke, "Stand down."

"Who are you? How do you have control of my mother?" Livia demanded. Darriah took a deep breath. What was she doing? Darriah tried to lower the dagger. Instead, she threw it at Livia with lightning speed. It hit her daughter and caused her to stumble.

Darriah slammed her shoulder into Livia's gut and slammed her against the wall. Then, she grabbed the dagger from Livia's shoulder and pressed it against Livia's throat. Livia stared down at the dagger and took shaky breaths. She almost looked scared.

Darriah's felt her hand starting to move, but she suddenly stopped herself. She couldn't kill her daughter. Darriah stared at the dagger and tried to move her hand back. A head suddenly slammed into hers, and Darriah stumbled backwards.

"Go!" Livia ordered. Her gaze moved past Darriah, presumably at Annabeth. Darriah turned around to face Annabeth. She felt a hand grab her shoulder, and she threw Livia over her shoulder. Livia hit the ground hard and cried out in pain. Darriah slammed the dagger downwards.

Livia caught the dagger and spoke, "Mother. You have to fight this."

"I am going to save New Rome," Darriah whispered. Livia closed her eyes and slowly started to turn the dagger away from her chest. Darriah tried pushing the dagger down more, until it was hovering right over Livia's heart. Livia managed to turn the dagger completely away from her, so the blade was pointed at Darriah.

Darriah heard a noise behind her and tried to turn. She brought one hand up to defend herself, and something slammed into the back of her head. She collapsed against Livia and felt the dagger slide right into her neck. Darriah tried to breath, but it only came out as a strangled noise.

"No," Livia whispered. She rolled Darriah onto her back and examined the wound. "You are going to be fine. Please. You'll be okay."

Darriah slowly looked at Daniel. He stood on her right and was shaking his head in disappointment. He slowly disappeared. To her left, Octavian was looking at the ground and whispering a prayer. He disappeared as well.

"Mom. You can't leave me alone. Please," Livia begged. Tears filled her eyes. She was struggling to pour Unicorn powder on the wound, but it wasn't going to do anything. "You promised me!"

"I'm sorry," Annabeth whispered. She knelt next to Darriah. It took a few moments for Darriah to look up at the Greek. "I was just trying to help."

Annabeth gently placed a hand to Darriah's pulse, and she shivered. Darriah felt everything clear up. She slowly looked up at her daughter and placed a bloody hand to her face. Livia was trying not to cry but was losing that battle.

"I love you," Darriah choked out. Her hand fell from Livia's face. Darriah's head slowly turned to the side. She felt Livia bury her face in her chest. Darriah gently placed a hand to Livia's back, and everything slowly faded away.


	21. Consumed With Punishing the Wicked

Thalia stared down at the fire in front of her. She was still processing the story that Artemis had told her. None of it seemed true. Why would Reyna poison the tree at Camp Half-Blood? Why would she attack her fellow Romans? How could she even be partially in control of her actions and do all of those things?

Thalia's eyes slowly moved to her right. The demigod in question was sitting on a log and staring at the ground as well. Reyna's hands weren't tied or handcuffed in front of her, but she still had her hands together with her fingers interlocked. The praetor stared at the fire as well, and her eyes were red.

The crunching of boots caught Thalia's attention. She looked up at Artemis. The goddess had appeared in the middle of the camp with Reyna. She had shoved Reyna towards the log and then stalked off towards the tents. Now, Artemis looked more upset than before.

"Where is Chelsea?" Artemis asked. The few Hunters of Artemis around the fire shrugged. They all seemed as confused as Thalia felt. "Has anyone seen her?"

"She left a few hours ago," Kim said. She slowly stood. "What is going on?"

"Chelsea is not who she says she is," Artemis answered. Kim stared. "She is actually a girl named Junia. She is the one who caused all of this chaos and wanted for Camp Half-Blood to fall. Praetor, come."

Reyna slowly stood. Thalia quickly stood as well, and her world started to spin. She forced herself to keep her footing and take a deep breath. Her gaze focused on Artemis. The goddess spoke, "You need to rest."

"I have to help," Thalia said. She glanced at Reyna. "If Camp Half-Blood and my tree are being threatened, I have to help."

Thalia knew she wasn't really in the shape to help. She had only recently woke from her coma, and she was still incredibly weak. Thalia couldn't just sit around though. If someone under her command was involved with this, it was her duty to hunt them down.

"Thalia, it was not a suggestion," Artemis said. Thalia looked down and remained silent. Her stomach felt like it was on fire, and she wanted nothing more than to curl up on the ground and go to sleep. She had to help with the Golden Fleece though.

"My Lady, please let me help," Thalia began. She looked down. "Camp Half-Blood is special to me, and I want to help them however I can."

Artemis let out a deep breath. After a moment, she grabbed Thalia's arm and gently helped her to her feet. Artemis spoke, "You can come, but you need to take it easy."

"I will," Thalia promised. She looked back at Reyna. The praetor was just staring at the ground and almost seemed ready to cry. Thalia looked away. She wasn't quite sure how to feel about what had happened.

Artemis nodded and walked towards Reyna. She grabbed the demigod's shoulder roughly and spoke, "Think of the place where you left the Golden Fleece."

Thalia walked towards them, and Artemis gently grabbed her arm. As there was a bright light, Thalia closed her eyes tightly. She felt the world tilt, like she was on some kind of roller coaster. Her stomach did a few flips, and her feet touched solid ground. The hand on her arm steadied her and kept her from falling on her face.

It took Thalia a few moments to look around. They were in the middle of a forest and standing on a thin strip of road. Reyna started to walk towards the forest, and Artemis followed right behind her. Thalia did her best to keep pace with them.

Their walk was in a tense silence. Even though Thalia wasn't the recipient of Artemis' glare, she could feel how piercing it was. Thalia looked away from the two. Reyna had made her choice, even if she was being influenced by a goddess. The praetor would have to live with her decision.

After a minute, Reyna stopped near a white tree. She knelt in front of it and started to dig. Thalia walked up behind her and examined the symbol of a sword crossed with a torch that was carved into the tree. After thirty second of digging, Reyna froze and spoke, "It's not here."

Artemis grabbed Reyna and shoved her to the side. The goddess dug deeper, but all she seemed to find was dirt and some worms. Thalia glanced to her right. Reyna was sitting on the ground and staring at the hole. Artemis took a deep breath and stood.

"Are you sure this is where you buried it?" Artemis demanded. Reyna slowly looked at the tree and stared at the symbol. Thalia did as well. The symbol belonged to a goddess of war, so was it a sign of the things to come? Reyna finally nodded. "Then, where is it? Did you tell anyone?"

"No, my lady. I didn't tell anyone," Reyna swore. She looked at the ground. "No one else knew. I worked by myself this entire time."

"Other than the goddess in your head," Artemis said. She grabbed Reyna's shoulder and pulled her to her feet. Artemis looked at the two of them. "It is time that we visit the goddess responsible for this: Praxidike."

Thalia felt a hand grab her arm, and she saw that Artemis was starting to glow. Thalia looked away and felt her world tilt again. When she opened her eyes, she was standing in a temple. It took her a few moments to look down at the marble floor and then look around the rest of the temple.

There was a large statue against one of the walls. The statue showed a goddess holding up scales in one hand, and her other hand rested on a sword. There was a blindfold over her eyes. Thalia had seen the goddess that the statue belonged to, and as she ran her eyes over the temple, she saw the goddess standing not far away.

It seemed like Themis was in the middle of talking to another goddess. This goddess was shorter than Themis and had a sneer on her face. Her hair was a light color, and her eyes were a shade of red almost like the color of dried blood. Artemis spoke, "Praxidike."

The red eyed goddess turned to look at them. Praxidike spoke, "Artemis. What do you want?"

Artemis crossed the distance between the two of them and grabbed Praxidike by her throat. Themis stepped forward, but Artemis slammed Praxidike into the wall and spoke, "Where is my Hunter?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Praxidike snapped. She tried to shove the Olympian away from her, but Artemis had an iron grasp. "I didn't touch any of your Hunters!"

"Artemis, that is enough," Themis said. After a few moments, Artemis lowered her hand and backed away. "What is going on?"

"Praxidike answered one of my Hunters calls for vengeance, and she set a trap for the praetor," Artemis snapped. Themis slowly looked at Reyna and Thalia. Out of the corner of her eye, Thalia could see that Reyna was staring at Praxidike. "She got into the praetor's head and convinced her to steal the Golden Fleece."

"I have been too busy following my most revered, esteemed, honorable lady around," Praxidike said. She looked at Artemis and crinkled her nose. "I do not have time to get into anyone's head."

"You lie," Artemis stated. "A girl came to Themis' temple and begged for revenge. We sought out the praetor to talk her down, but it was only a trap for you to get in the praetor's head. Why would you do all of this?"

"I really didn't," Praxidike said. She looked up and pointed at the two demigods. Thalia glanced over at Reyna, but the praetor was expressionless. "Which one is the one who I got in the head of?"

Praetor, come here," Artemis ordered. After a moment, Reyna slowly walked towards them. Praxidike sighed and popped her knuckles. She placed two fingers to Reyna's temple and hummed softly. She nodded slightly and closed her eyes.

"It's a little too empty for my liking," Praxidike commented. She hummed again and opened her eyes. "Ah. The temple. That was what you said, right Artemis? I remember that well. Themis asked me to see what the girl wanted, and when I reported back, I was told not to help the girl. So, I passed the job off to Astraea."

"Astraea?" Themis demanded. She stared at Praxidike. "I told you to leave this alone, and you gave the job to Astraea! Why?"

"Who is Astraea?" Thalia interrupted. The three goddesses turned to look at her. "Why is it so bad that she is the one who took the job?"

"Astraea is another goddess of justice, but she pushes the boundaries of justice," Themis answered. She started to pace back and forth. Praxidike lowered her hand and started to slink backwards, towards the shadows. Artemis grabbed her by the back of her neck and didn't let her move any further. "Astraea was once a goddess that walked this earth, but when humans were made and showed their wicked ways, she fled to the heavens. Astraea has been consumed with punishing the wicked ever since, but her ways are violent. I only call upon her for the worst of people."

"Edward Teach fits the bill," Praxidike muttered. She sighed and looked around. "But, Astraea definitely possessed that demigod over there. Probably made her do all kinds of terrible things. Real tragedy. Can I go now?"

"You can't go anywhere," Themis snapped. She paced back and forth and ran her hand through her hair. "Why did I promise Zeus that I would keep an eye on all of the justice gods and goddesses? It's like dealing with a bunch of children."

"Except children don't destroy entire families," Praxidike said. She smiled as Artemis tightened her grip. "I did exactly what was asked of me. I do not see why I am in trouble."

"You are in more than trouble," Themis said. She shook her head. "We will speak later. Get out of my sight."

"That means you have to let go of me," Praxidike whispered. Artemis looked like she wanted to do something much different, but she finally let go of Praxidike. The goddess backed away, gave them a mock bow, and disappeared in a golden light.

"Where would Astraea be?" Artemis questioned. "How do I find her?"

"The temple is not a safe place for demigods," Themis answered. She shook her head and started to pace. "We will take these two back to Camp Jupiter, and I will take you to Astraea. She will tell us where she took your Hunter and the Golden Fleece."

"Is she still in anyone's head?" Reyna slowly asked. Artemis turned on her and glared. Reyna swallowed painfully and looked down. "Can you confront her if she is?"

"Astraea was in your head, and now, she is not," Artemis said coldly. "It is obvious that her goal was achieved, and that is why she retreated. When we get back to Camp Jupiter, you will go straight to Frank Zhang and hand yourself over to him."

"I'll make sure that she does," Thalia said. Artemis studied her for a few moments and finally nodded. Thalia glanced back at Reyna. "Are Annabeth and Percy okay?"

Reyna looked away but gave the slightest of nods. Artemis had said that Reyna questioned Annabeth, but she didn't say how. There was just this look in Artemis' eyes though. Something else happened, but it wasn't good. Thalia looked down. She would get all of her answers at Camp Jupiter, hopefully.


	22. End This Once and for All

Frank stared at the ground and took a deep breath. They should have been celebrating their victory. They should have been happy that they found everything. Instead, the Golden Fleece was still missing. The Hunter had disappeared without a trace, and Darriah was dead. Frank didn't know how things could get any worse.

Looking at the corner of the room caused Frank's heart to break. Livia was sitting with her knees brought to her chest, and she was crying into her knees. There was one bandage around her shoulder and another around her wrist. The first thing Livia tried to do after killing her mother was end her own life. Annabeth stopped her, and Frank came into the room in time to pull Livia back and try to calm her down.

"Darriah was possessed then," Reyna whispered. She was leaning against the wall and not looking up at any of them. Her guilt was on her face. Frank's emotions with his fellow praetor were all over the place. He was suppose to support her, but how could he support what she had done?

Thalia was sitting on a bed and seemed to be stuck in a cycle of movements. She would stare at Reyna for a few moments. Then, she would turn to stare at Annabeth's arm. Thalia would then look back at Reyna and look ready to murder her. The murderous look would disappear for one of confusion until she turned her head and seemed to get lost in thought.

Percy was sitting on Annabeth's other side and just staring at the ground. He was clearly upset but not saying a word. Frank wanted to say something that would make everything better, but what could he even say?

"This goddess is wrecking havoc," Reyna whispered. Everyone turned to look at her. "I'm sorry."

"It's too late for sorry," Percy said. He shook his head. "How did this goddess jump from you to Darriah?"

"I don't know," Reyna whispered. "I don't remember."

"That's pretty convenient," Thalia said. Reyna crossed her arms but didn't say a word. "What if Astraea and Praxidike are working together?"

"Praxidike said that she has been with Themis," Reyna whispered. She closed her eyes and rubbed her face. "I can't remember anything that happened with Darriah."

"Do you remember torturing Annabeth?" Thalia asked, and she stood. Frank stepped in between the two, but Thalia didn't move any closer. "Do you remember that, Reyna?"

"I do," Reyna whispered. She swallowed painfully. Reyna looked like she wanted to leave the room again, but she didn't move an inch. Was this way of punishing herself for what she had done? "I also remember a brick slamming into my head. I didn't come back to full focus until Darriah was dragging me to the Senate. I'm sorry."

"Sorry isn't going to make up for anything," Thalia snapped. Reyna nodded her agreement. Frank walked towards Reyna and studied her. She studied him for a moment and then finally looked down. Frank grabbed her shoulder.

"We're going to get through this together," Frank whispered. Reyna didn't look up to meet his eyes. Frank tightened his grip on her shoulder but tried to do it in a comforting way. "You have to trust me, Reyna. I don't approve what you did, but we have to be unified."

"We do," Reyna agreed quietly. Frank glanced around. Percy and Thalia were crowding Annabeth, and the only thing Annabeth did was stare at the ground. She hadn't talked to Reyna like she said that she wanted to, but she could have rethought it. Livia had stopped crying, but she wasn't looking up. Frank looked back at Reyna. "I'll get my resignation letter ready."

"No," Frank said quickly. Reyna slowly looked up at him. She didn't say anything, but the question was in her eyes: why. Frank didn't know why though. Was it because he needed his fellow praetor at his side? Could he not handle this situation alone? Or, did he not believe that Reyna was completely at fault for this? Sure, she done all of those terrible things, but there was a goddess inn her head. Frank just couldn't bring himself to believe that Reyna would have done anything like this after just being convinced and nothing else.

"Reyna, do you know where the Golden Fleece could be?" Annabeth asked. Reyna shook her head. "Are you sure? You knew this girl. Do you have any ideas?"

Reyna looked at the ground and seemed to think about it. She spoke, "I know that Junia and her sister were in a shipwreck that washed them aboard Circe's island, and their parents were killed. There is no home for her to go back to, and Blackbeard salted the land at Circe's island. I don't have any idea."

"But, you know enough about Junia that you could probably find out?" Annabeth asked. Reyna shrugged. Frank rubbed his face.

"Are we sure the goddess is gone?" Livia asked quietly. Frank slowly turned to look at the centurion. Livia was watching them quietly. Her eyes were red from crying. "I know you said that Lady Diana told us we were in the clear, but are we sure? If that bitch is still in the camp, she is going to pay for what she did."

"How did the goddess jump from Reyna to Darriah in the first place?" Percy asked. He looked at Reyna. "Do you know at what point everything was clear?"

"I don't," Reyna said. She sounded like she was getting frustrated. "When Annabeth hit me with the brick, everything got really fuzzy. I think Darriah checked on me, but I don't remember."

"It's a touch then," Livia said. Her eyes focused on the ground. "The goddess wanted to kill Annabeth. It would be easiest to jump to Percy or Frank to do the deed, but she didn't. Reyna also didn't touch them. My mother was the only one who touched Reyna. But, the goddess had to jump to someone else."

It only took a few moments for everyone in the room to share the same thought, and they all looked at Livia. The centurion glared and slowly stood. Frank looked away. There was only two people that had been in the room with Darriah, and there was no reason for the goddess to jump to Annabeth. She had to jump to Livia.

"Would I really have tried to kill myself if the goddess was in my head?" Livia snapped. She looked down at her arm and started to shake in rage. "Do not disrespect me or my mother."

"Livia, calm down," Frank said. He walked towards Livia and gently grabbed her shoulder. She pulled away from him. Frank looked around. "This is what the goddess wants. She wants us all to be divided, but we cannot allow that. We have to work together and figure this out."

Frank slowly looked around. He figured that Livia was correct with her thought that the goddess could only transfer with a touch, but what if the goddess had jumped to Livia just to use as an in between to the person she wanted. Frank didn't feel any different. There was no voice telling him what to do.

Frank glanced over at Percy, but he seemed to be focused on Annabeth. His worry broke Frank's heart, and there was no way that could be mimicked if Percy wasn't in full control of himself. Thalia had just gotten there and hadn't gone near Livia. Had Reyna though? Or, had the goddess jumped from Livia to Frank to Reyna? He slowly looked at his fellow praetor.

"I don't," Reyna said. She definitely noticed Frank's look. "She's not back in my head. I swear."

After a few moments of studying Reyna's face, Frank turned to look at Annabeth. She was staring at the ground. By her feet, there was a small vial. A frown came to Frank's face. Annabeth looked up and spoke, "Frank is right. We should not be divided."

Annabeth slowly stood. Both Percy and Thalia tried to help her, but she simply brushed them off and walked towards Reyna. After a few moments, Reyna looked up at her. Annabeth spoke, "It's okay."

"It's not," Reyna said. She buried her face in her hands. "Nothing that I did is okay. I'm sorry."

Annabeth placed one hand to her belt, and her other hand clasped Reyna's shoulder. Annabeth spoke, "Are you sure that you have no clue where the Golden Fleece could be."

"I guess I could put down some locations that Junia could have gone to," Reyna said. She took a few steps away from the wall and rubbed her forehead. Annabeth didn't move an inch, and she eyed Reyna's back. Without armor or her cape, Reyna didn't look like the fearless leader that Frank was use to seeing. She still wore the black cloak that she had worn while torturing Annabeth.

"No one can ever learn where the Golden Fleece is," Annabeth said. She moved faster than the eye could track, and she stabbed a dagger directly into Reyna's back. Reyna gasped in pain, and Frank rushed forward. He caught Reyna as she collapsed to her knees, and his gaze slowly moved to Annabeth.

Annabeth blinked, and her eyes turned into an odd shade of silver. A smile came to her face, and her eyes rolled into the back of her head. Annabeth collapsed, and a silver mist slowly left her mouth. Percy rushed to Annabeth's side.

The silver mist slowly floated upwards and started to trickle into dust. The dust quickly formed the image of a woman. Frank stared at the goddess as she fully formed. Her eyes were a bright silver, and as she studied Frank, her eyes seemed to shine like stars. Her black hair hung loosely, and a grin was on her face.

"Astraea," Thalia said. The woman slowly looked at her and grinned wider. "Why are you doing all of this?"

"Frank," Reyna wheezed. She coughed out blood and green liquid a moment later. Frank's gut twisted as he realized it was the same poison that had affected Alfred. It was also the same way that Alfred had been attacked."When Junia's sister was dying, Junia promised she wouldn't let her die. Golden Fleece. Healing."

Reyna went into another coughing fit. Frank didn't have any medical supplies on him. He looked back at the goddess. Astraea simply looked around the room, as if admiring her handiwork. Annabeth wasn't moving, and Percy was staring down at her.

"I told you, boy. Blood must be repaid in blood," Astraea said. Frank felt Reyna go limp against him. He knew they needed to get her help, but at the same time, it wouldn't matter. Frank knew that the blood used to make the poison wasn't Annabeth's. It had to be Junia's, and it was another fail safe. "You must soak yourself in blood."

Astraea suddenly turned and caught Livia's wrist. Livia's hand gripped a dagger that was only a few inches from the goddess' face. Percy slowly stood and drew his sword. Thalia had her bow out. Astraea didn't seem to care. She stared at Livia and spoke, "Do you want to pray for vengeance, girl? I can tell you who you should blame."

"I know exactly who to blame," Livia hissed. Astraea studied her for a few moments. She finally shoved Livia backwards and started to glow brightly.

"My work is done. I will leave your camp alone," Astraea said. As she started to glow so brightly that Frank was forced to look away, he heard a gasp. A glance back showed that a hunting knife was sticking out of Astraea's chest. Diana shoved Astraea against a wall. "Lady Artemis, stand aside."

"No," Artemis said. She twisted the knife and didn't let Astraea move. Another goddess knelt by Frank and examined Reyna. Frank slowly picked his fellow praetor up on his shoulders and walked towards a bed. He laid her down and pulled the dagger from her back.

Frank's gut twisted as he saw the blade of the dagger had completely dissolved. Thalia moved to their side and poured some of her canteen into Reyna's mouth. Then, she poured some of it on Reyna's back. Thalia nodded to Frank and hurried to Annabeth's side.

"Lady Themis, tell them to let me go. I only did my job," Astraea said. The other goddess turned to look at her. "I only delivered justice, like you asked."

"This is not justice," Themis snapped. She motioned around the room. "How many lives are you going to destroy?"

"How many lives were destroyed when Annabeth Chase unleashed those pirates? How many young girls were taken captive, and how many people would wash upon the shores and die because there was nothing left of the island? I was asked to enact vengeance, and I did. A home was destroyed by Annabeth, so it is only fair that her home is destroyed in return," Astraea said.

"You will tell us where the Golden Fleece is," Diana ordered. Astraea just smiled. "Where is it?"

"I don't know. The girl never told me," Astraea said. Themis walked towards her and whispered something in another language. Frank didn't know what she said, but he did see both Thalia and Percy tense. They exchanged looks. "I only know that she talked about bringing her sister back."

"Her sister is dead. She has been dead for years. That is what Reyna said," Frank began. He stared down at his fellow praetor. "But, Reyna mentioned the Golden Fleece and healing. Does Junia think it can bring back her sister?"

"It's possible," Percy muttered. "It brought Thalia back, but I don't think it can bring anyone back to life, if they've been dead for that long."

"That doesn't mean Junia wouldn't try," Livia muttered. She glanced down at her wrist. "If I thought I could bring my family back, I would do anything. It doesn't matter how insane it sounds."

"Reyna said that Junia jumped overboard with her sister and that they were close to an island. It's a starting point," Frank said. He looked down at Reyna. "But, we don't know where the island is."

"Reyna wasn't the only one on the pirate ship. Hylla was as well," Percy said. He stood. "We need to head there immediately."

"We do," Diana agreed. She let go of Astraea, and Themis grabbed Astraea tightly. "I will take you to the outskirts of the Amazon base, and you will have to get an audience with the queen. Find out where Junia may be."

"I'll get a medic," Livia said. She studied Reyna a few moments. Then, she turned and left the room. Frank looked down at Reyna for a moment and sighed deeply. They didn't have a good lead, but it was a lead. Percy laid Annabeth on the bed.

"I'm going with," Percy said. He took a deep breath. "And, we are going to end this once and for all."


	23. We Need to Stop Her

"I need to speak to the queen of the Amazons," Thalia said. Her gaze focused on the Amazon at the front desk. The Amazon looked at her for a small moment and seemed to tense. "It is an emergency. Tell her that the lieutenant of the Hunters of Artemis needs to speak with her."

The Amazon eyed her for a few moments and finally placed a hand to her ear. That was something new. On Thalia's first visit, she had almost been jumped by the Amazon at the front counter, and the next few visits involved her being threatened by whoever was at the front desk, in what Hylla called a bit of fun.

"The lieutenant of the Hunters of Artemis wishes to speak to Queen Hylla," the Amazon said. There was silence for a few moments, and she finally nodded. Her gaze moved to Thalia. "Can I take a message?"

"It is an emergency," Thalia began. The Amazon nodded and grabbed a pen. She started writing onto a notepad. Thalia gritted her teeth. "This is an actual emergency! I need to speak to Queen Hylla now. It is about her sister."

The Amazon's eyes flickered up, and she placed her hand back to the earpiece. She spoke, "The lieutenant says it is about the queen's sister."

It didn't take long for the Amazon to nod once again and lower her hand. She spoke, "Take a seat. It will be a few minutes."

The last thing Thalia wanted to do was a take a seat, but she slowly turned to look at the chairs in the front office. There was only five chairs, but Thalia felt like each of them had some kind of horrific device attached to them. It was the Amazons after all.

When they worked together, the Amazons always teased the Hunters of Artemis for being barbaric because they slept outside and didn't allow boys to join. Considering the Amazons kept boys as slaves, Thalia didn't really hold their opinions too high.

True to the Amazon's word, a door opened after a few minutes. Two Amazons, both wearing armor and with weapons at their side, walked into the room. One held a black bag in their hands. Thalia rolled her eyes but kept sitting. She leaned back in the seat. The two Amazons walked towards her.

"I know the drill," Thalia said. She stood and handed her weapons over to the Amazon that didn't have anything in her hands. The other Amazon gave the black bag to Thalia. It took a moment for Thalia to put the bag over her head. "I thought the queen could trust me by now."

"Amazon protocol," one of the Amazons said. Thalia rolled her eyes and started to walk. The two Amazons stayed right at her side and led her down the hallways. Thalia could hear the sounds of people rushing around and working. She wasn't too concerned by it though. All she did was focus on putting one foot in front of the other and not allow the two Amazons to run her into a wall. It had happened once before, and she was determined to not let it happen again.

Before Thalia knew it, she felt one of the Amazons stop her. Another knocked on the door and spoke in Latin. A response was given, and a door opened. Thalia felt the Amazon lead her forward once again. They came to a stop once again, and the hand disappeared from her shoulder.

Thalia heard the door behind her close, and she slowly took the bag off of her head. Her gaze focused on Hylla. The queen of the Amazons was sitting in her desk and had her legs propped up on the desk. Hylla studied Thalia and didn't say a word. The two of them had worked together, and they had a business relationship. Thalia wouldn't go as far as to call them friends though.

"An emergency that involves my sister," Hylla muttered. Her arms were crossed, but she was tapping one of her fingers on her arm. "What's going on, lieutenant?"

"My tree, well the tree, at Camp Half-Blood that powers their barrier was poisoned, and the Golden Fleece was taken. Reyna did those things, but she was being influenced by a goddess that had been called upon for vengeance," Thalia explained. Hylla's face remained expressionless, but she did push her legs off of the desk and lean forward. "It was all orchestrated by a girl named Junia, and we think you know where she is. We need to stop her."

"I don't know anyone named Junia," Hylla said. She studied the desk for a few moments, and her eyes flickered up to Thalia. "What of my sister?"

"Reyna was poisoned," Thalia answered. She crossed her arms. "She is stabilized but in bad shape. We can get the cure for the poison, if we can find Junia. Reyna said it was someone on Blackbeard's ship. Her sister died and was thrown overboard. She jumped in after her."

After a few moments, Hylla closed her eyes. She spoke, "I never knew the girl's name, but I remember when that happened. Blackbeard said it was dead weight thrown off of the ship, and I thought they were going to die on that island. There was no other ships around."

"She's not dead," Thalia said. Hylla remained silent and took a single deep breath. "Hylla, you are the only hope we have of finding her. We don't know where she can be, but she thought Reyna did. That's why Reyna was attacked."

Hylla opened her eyes and stood. She walked towards the opposite side of her office and pulled open a drawer. Hylla pulled out a book and slowly flipped through the pages. Thalia walked towards Hylla and stared down at the book. It was full of maps that were drawn by hand and then stapled to the pages of the book.

Hylla flipped through the book and cursed softly. She closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths. Then, she opened her eyes and flipped through the book once again. Hylla stopped on one of the pages and stared down at it. After a moment, she folded the top of the page and kept flipping through. Hylla folded a few of the pages as she went.

The queen of the Amazons picked up the book and handed it to Thalia. She then pulled out a large folded up piece of paper. Hylla unfolded the paper, which was a large map, and she laid it out on the desk. Hylla took the book back from Thalia and started to mark spots.

Thalia wasn't quite sure what Hylla was doing, but she didn't want to ask and break her concentration. Thalia slowly looked around the office. There was reports scattered all around the room, along with notebooks and binders. It looked like chaos, but Hylla knew where everything was. She had always been on top of answering any questions that Thalia had.

"I narrowed it down the best I could," Hylla said. Thalia walked towards the map and stared down at it. Hylla had marked a few different islands that were in line. "Blackbeard wanted to chart the Sea of Monsters and the area around it. We had barely gotten out of that damned place when Junia's sister died."

"It's a start. Thank you," Thalia said. She leaned on the desk and stared down at the map. Five islands were marked, but the biggest problem would be getting to the islands. They could take a ship, if they could find one. How fast would that be though? Would Artemis just be able to take them to the islands?

"How much trouble is Reyna in?" Hylla asked. Thalia looked at her and shook her head. She didn't know the answer to that question, but she could take a guess. Hylla studied her for a few moment and then looked down. "I should go to Camp Jupiter."

"You don't want to complicate the situation more than it already is," Thalia warned. Hylla slowly looked up at her. "Reyna poisoned Camp Half-Blood. She poisoned her fellow Romans. She tortured Annabeth. There has to be consequences."

"Take those and leave," Hylla said. She sat back in the seat and glared at the desk. Thalia slowly grabbed the map and then the book of smaller maps. She wanted to tell Hylla that she would return them, but it would be best to keep her mouth shut. There was a dangerous gleam in Hylla's eyes. Thalia turned and left the room.

Two Amazons immediately flanked her, and one handed her a black bag. Thalia rolled her eyes but put it on. The two Amazons grabbed her arms and guided her through the building once again. When they made it into the lobby, the bag was pulled from her hands, and her weapons were handed back to her.

Thalia stared down at maps and let out a deep breath. She walked out of the Amazon base and was immediately joined by Artemis. The goddess studied the maps as well.

"Hylla marked five islands. Hopefully, one of them leads us to the Golden Fleece," Thalia said. She already regretted the visit. Hylla was clearly agitated by the news of her sister, and the last thing they needed was for Hylla to rush to Camp Jupiter and make things even worse.

"We should start checking the islands then," Artemis said. Thalia nodded and closed her eyes. All she could do was hope that they found the Golden Fleece was found, before it was too late.


	24. Blood Had to Be Repaid in Blood

As Frank stepped onto the island, he felt like this one would be different. There was something in the air, and it caused his spine to tingle. Frank placed a hand to his sword and slowly looked around. The island itself didn't seem to be that big, but it was covered in dead and dying trees.

The last three islands they visited had been nothing more than a bust. The first one was full of animals. The second was a small island with a single palm tree on it. If it wasn't for the fact that a half decaying body hung from the tree, it would have been a picturesque scene. The third island was lush and covered in trees.

This one was going to be different though. Percy seemed to think it too, as he pull their boat ashore and dropped the anchor. The boat was small and something that Percy called a ketch. Thalia seemed just as lost as Frank as Percy showed them around the small boat.

Diana was able to get them near the islands, but she said some kind of old magic blocked her from getting any closer. She told them it was magic from the Sea of Monsters, and Frank knew better than to ask the goddess any more questions. She barely seemed to tolerate Percy and clearly didn't even want to speak to Frank. Anything she said had been said begrudgingly.

Frank jumped onto the sand and felt his legs start to sink into it. He looked down and studied the gray sand. As he ran a hand through it, he realized it wasn't sand at all. It was ash. Frank slowly walked through the ash, and Thalia kept pace with him. Percy followed behind them.

There was another reason that Frank had a good feeling about the island, and it was the fact that he saw smoke rising from the middle of it. Someone was there, but the only question was if they would find their target or not. Frank wasn't quite sure what kind of fight they were in for, but he would do whatever it took to find the cure for the poison that was killing his fellow praetor.

Finding the Golden Fleece was the first priority, but Frank wouldn't forget about Reyna. He was probably the only one of the three who really cared about her, as Percy and Thalia still seemed pretty upset. Frank took a deep breath and forced himself to focus.

Frank slowly walked past the dead and dying trees. A few squirrels climbed in the trees, but they quickly scrambled along like they wanted to be anywhere but there. What kind of monster awaited them? What kind of evil had planned all of this out?

When they had first been on the boat, Frank asked if they still needed the Golden Fleece. If the poison in Thalia's tree had been combined with another and was now cured, did they really need the Golden Fleece? According to Diana, they did. She warned that there could still be leftover poison in the tree or that the tree had grown to rely on the Golden Fleece and would die without it.

As more worry hit Frank, he moved his hand to his sword. Frank expected them to be ambushed at any moment. This Junia had to know that they were coming, and she would do everything to stop them. How many people were working with her? Did she have another goddess up her sleeve? Were the squirrels part of her spy network?

As they pushed through the trees, they found the source of the smoke. A large fire was burning near a cave. The fire looked like it had been burning for a few hours, and there was a dead wolf next to it. The wolf had been skinned, and most of the meat was taken from the bones. A black pot rested over the fire, like someone was making something.

"We should be careful about this," Percy whispered. "We don't know if this cave belongs to a hermit or even some lost immortal. We have to tread carefully."

"Follow my lead," Frank whispered. He slowly walked closer to the cave. The area had been filled with the smell of cooked meat, but as they got closer to the cave, a foul stench filled their nostrils. Frank stopped walking and quickly covered his mouth. His eyes started to tear up, and he closed his eyes. It was the foulest thing that he had ever smelled in his life, and it made him want to vomit. He knew that smell though. It was the stench of death.

After a few moments, Frank forced his eyes open. He looked back at his companions. Thalia pulled a small scarf out of her pocket and wrapped it around her mouth. Percy buried his face in his sleeve. Frank tried to avoid breathing through his nose, and he kept his cape pressed close to his mouth.

A few torches hung near the cave entrance, but Frank couldn't see anything inside. He took a few steps forward and blinked to get use to the dim light. Frank spoke in a whisper, "One of us should stay by the entrance."

"Percy can do it," Thalia whispered. She grabbed her bow and carefully notched an arrow. Percy shook his head, and his sword appeared in his hand. It gave off some light in the cave, and Frank stared at the writing on the walls. Percy and Thalia slowly looked at the writing and seemed to be reading it.

"What does it say?" Frank asked quietly. From the stench in the cave, he thought that some kind of monster was deeper inside. The writing made it seem like the monster was more human than beast. It was intelligent enough to write at least.

"It vows revenge," Percy whispered. Frank stepped closer to the writing. It looked like someone had taken a sharp rock over even a bladed weapon to carve into the wall. "Each line doesn't make sense when added with another."

"It's the ramblings of a mad person," Thalia muttered. She raised her bow. "None of us should stay behind at the entrance."

"Wasn't planning on it anyway," Percy said. The two of them pressed forward. As the light from Percy's sword started to move away, Frank tried to examine the writing. He had seen the same kind of writing in some of Annabeth's textbooks, so it was ancient Greek. It still didn't tell him what kind of monsters waited within the cave.

Frank slowly followed behind his fellow demigods. As they made it further into the cave, they found more torches and more writing. The stench became even more overpowering and unbearable. Frank's eyes watered, and he blinked rapidly.

As the tunnel opened into a cavern, Frank heard soft, almost demonic whispering. It was broken, and every other word seemed to be a stutter. What kind of evil ritual was this? Frank slowly followed the wall of the cavern, until he was facing the middle. He stared at the scene in front of him.

A girl wearing blue jeans and a tank top stood in front of a large stone. Her arms were covered in black lines. They were too far away to see if it was the same as the writing on the wall. There was a silver aura around her, like a Hunter of Diana. Frank took a single step forward. His foot crunched on something, and the girl tensed.

Frank's eyes moved passed the girl and focused on the stone. He stared at the golden glint that came from it: the Golden Fleece. Their goal was in sight. All they needed to do was grab it. Frank spoke, "It's the end of the line, Junia."

"They said it could heal anything," Junia said. She slowly straightened and turned towards Frank. Out of the corner of his eye, Frank could see that Thalia had raised her bow, and Percy was slowly starting to move to the opposite of Junia. "Why is it not healing her?"

Frank took another step forward and tried to examine the rock. The Golden Fleece gave off a gentle, golden light, but it didn't do much to illuminate the room. It almost seemed like there was something between the rock and the Golden Fleece.

"Chelsea, you have ruined enough. This is over," Thalia said. Junia looked at Thalia. Her gaze then moved towards Percy, and for the first time, she seemed to realize that she was surrounded. "Step away from the Golden Fleece."

"I will not give up on her," Junia said. She turned her head to the right, but she wasn't looking at Percy. "I will not give up on you. I swear it."

"Give up on who?" Percy asked. Junia looked at them and slowly unsheathed her sword. She turned towards Percy and held her sword out to him. Her other hand was held out in front of the air. It almost seemed to be a protective gesture.

"The Golden Fleece belonged to your camp. You should know about its powers," Junia said. She glared at Percy. "How do I unlock the healing powers?"

"It works automatically," Percy answered after a moment. He slowly lowered his sword. "Who are you trying to heal?"

"I read about it on the island," Junia said. She shook her head and looked behind her. "You showed me, didn't you? We hid away into the witch's library and read that ancient book. You thought it was just a story, but it has to be true."

Frank lowered his weapon. He expected a cornered animal, one who would fight to the death for her revenge. This was a difference kind of cornered animal though. Junia was fighting for something, or for someone. Frank slowly grabbed onto Thalia's bow and lowered it. She gave him a look, but he just ignored it.

"The witch is Circe, right? You were on her island," Frank began. Junia slowly looked at him and glared. She took a step backwards. Her arm was still held out to the side, like she was holding someone back. "But, it wasn't just you."

"We were on that island," Junia said. She glanced to her right. Then, she focused on Frank. "Until, the pirates were unleashed. We were kept as their slaves. Boy, do you know what they did to us? The strong rose to the ranks of pirates. The weak were made to be like toys."

"I can't imagine what it was like," Frank said. He slowly took another step forward. "I know that your sister died, and she was thrown overboard by the pirates."

"She's not dead," Junia snapped. A small, almost nervous laugh left her. She turned around completely and raised her hands. Junia held her hands out in midair, and her hands seemed to hold onto thin air. "You are not dead. We will heal your condition. I swear on the gods themselves."

"She's insane," Thalia whispered. Frank nodded as he slowly came to the realization. Junia was talking to the air, like she thought someone was there, and he had a bad feeling about who she thought it was.

"If your sister is not dead, what is she?" Percy slowly asked. Junia looked at him and sneered.

"She is in a coma," Junia snapped."But, she is strong. She has been able to guide me and to tell me what I need to do to save her."

"But, you can't get the Golden Fleece to work," Percy said. He placed his cap to Riptide, and it turned back into a pen. Percy slowly walked towards Junia. She held her sword out towards him and took a step backwards. Percy stopped walking. "I can help you."

"You just want your precious fleece back. It is mine!" Junia yelled. She grabbed the Golden Fleece and tore it from the rock. Frank stared at the pile of bones on the rock. It was laid out in the shape of a skeleton, but all of the flesh had rotted away. The bones were discolored, but as Frank stared at the skeleton, he realized it belonged to a young child. Assuming there skeleton was completely intact, it had to belong to someone who was only five or six years old. "I will heal my sister."

"There is no sister to heal," Thalia said. She raised her bow and walked towards Junia. "Drop the Fleece. Then, we'll get you the mental help that you need."

"You won't do anything," Junia snapped. She raised her sword and held it to the Golden Fleece. As the light from the Golden Fleece caught the sword, Frank could see that the blade was tinted green. It almost looked rusted. It was definitely ancient. "I will destroy it if you don't back off!"

"We just want to talk," Percy began. He raised his hands and took a step backwards. Percy looked at them. "Thalia, lower it."

"She caused for my tree to be poisoned. She put everyone in danger," Thalia said. "She tried to destroy our world. We can't let her get away with it."

"It is not our job to play the judge here," Frank said. Thalia slowly looked at him. "Just lower the bow."

After a few moments, Thalia lowered her bow. Frank looked back at Junia and spoke, "We just have some questions. We can try to help you."

"You're lying," Junia said. She took a step backwards. "You are all liars. I know you do not want to help me. That is what Reyna said. She said that she wanted to help me, but she knew what I was going to do. No one wants to help me. That is why I had to invoke her."

"Astraea," Frank said. Junia looked at him and smiled coldly. "Why her? Why would you not invoke another goddess of revenge?"

"I didn't want a goddess of revenge. I don't want revenge. I want justice," Junia snapped. She glared at Frank. "People call it an eye for an eye. In my day, we called it lex talionis. It is a law of retaliation that is very exact. My home was destroyed by two bastard Greeks; therefore, justice demands that their home is destroyed as well."

"Which is why you tricked Reyna into meeting you," Frank said. Junia studied him and didn't say a word. "A goddess got into Reyna's head and convinced her that the Greeks were going to destroy her home. She stole the Golden Fleece and buried it for you. Then, she poisoned the tree and almost completely covered the tracks of where the fleece had gone."

"It's all on her hands," Junia said. She closed her eyes for a small moment, and a sad smile came to her face. "It's not fair to pay her back that way, but we all must make our sacrifices for justice."

"Do you not care that Reyna is going to die?" Thalia questioned. "Or, do you just care about your own need for revenge?"

"Astraea is going to get justice for me one way or another," Junia said. She smiled. "Have your borders already fallen yet? Have monsters fallen upon you?"

"No. The tree is healing," Percy said. Junia frowned and slowly looked in between the three of them. "Astraea has been stopped. Your plan failed, Junia. We just need two things from you: the Golden Fleece and your blood."

"Why would you need my blood if the tree is healing?" Junia demanded. Her eyes narrowed, and she took a step backwards. "No. No. Reyna was suppose to use my blood for the poison. Did she not use my blood?"

"She didn't," Frank answered. He tried to take another step forward, but Junia pressed the sword back against the Golden Fleece. It seemed to almost cut into it slightly. "We can help you, Junia."

"No one can help me. No one can help us. We were suppose to have justice," Junia snapped. "When we went to Circe's island, we did it to get away from war. Circe took us in, and she shared her power to give us immortality. We were a family, and you Greeks threw that away. I will take your home from you, just like you took mine!"

As Junia went to either move her sword and continue speaking, an arrow tore into her throat. She gasped and stumbled backwards. Percy rushed forward and slammed into Junia. He easily took the Golden Fleece from her and quickly backed away. Junia fell backwards and grabbed at her throat. She stared at them in shock.

After a few moments, Frank slowly lowered his bow. Thalia turned to stare at him, and Percy did as well. Frank just closed his eyes. He felt sick to his stomach, and it seemed like he was only seconds from losing his last, meager meal. Frank heard someone rush to Junia's side, but he didn't open his eyes.

Junia was going to destroy the Golden Fleece, and Frank couldn't allow that to happen. He wouldn't allow it to happen, and they had been unable to talk Junia down. She would not stopped. Junia woud have destroyed the Golden Fleece. Frank took a shaky breath. The goddess had warned him about this in his dream, hadn't she? He thought it was a threat, but it was just another cryptic prophecy.

Blood had to be repaid in blood. It wasn't just the blood of his fellow praetor or Alfred that had been repaid but also the blood of Darriah. Junia's blood was paying for the destruction that she had caused. It was unfair and cruel. Junia just wanted to bring her sister back. She just wanted to restore the innocence of her world, and she soaked herself in blood to do it. Astraea told Frank that was how one would restore their innocence, but it seemed like the goddess was wrong.

Junia was dying, and her sister would never come back. They had the Golden Fleece, and it would be returned. Frank would bring the cure for the poison that was killing Reyna, but in the end, the Senate would find out what had happened. They would punish his fellow praetor terribly, and there was nothing he could do about it.

Frank took a deep breath and opened his eyes. He looked down at Percy and Thalia. They were both kneeling by Junia, but they were doing very difference actions. Percy was just staring down at Junia, and Thalia was trying to stop the blood that poured from her throat. Frank slowly spoke, "Can you save her?"

"No," Thalia whispered. Frank swallowed painfully. He had fought his fair share of monsters and even fought some of his fellow demigods. The only lives Frank had actually ended belonged to monsters or those who truly didn't deserve to live. Junia was insane, broken by what happened to her sister, but that wasn't her fault.

Junia was going to die, by Frank's hand. His hands were no longer innocent. He had done something terrible, and there was no way to make up for it. At the end of the day, they had gotten the Golden Fleece back, but they had paid a terrible price for it. Frank just hoped that the price Camp Jupiter had to pay to Camp Half-Blood for what had happened wouldn't be any worse than this.


	25. There Has Always Been a Divide

The streets of New Rome were calmer than Frank was expecting. Everyone was busy training or going about their normal duties, and it made Frank feel like everything was going back to normal. They just have to figure out how to navigate what had happened to Annabeth and Reyna's punishment for that.

The night before had been a blur for Frank, and he hadn't gotten any sleep. At the island, they had gotten a vial of blood from Junia, enough to make the cure for what Reyna had been poisoned with. Then out of either pity for the situation or guilt over what he had, Frank gave Junia and her younger sister a proper burial.

Frank felt absolutely terrible about killing Junia, but he didn't know what else he could have done in the moment. Junia was going to destroy the Golden Fleece, and she had to be stopped. She was nothing more than a wild animal, and unfortunately, wild animals had to be put down. Frank wished that he wasn't the one who had to do it.

After leaving the island, they had met up with Diana. She took them to Camp Half-Blood, where the Golden Fleece was placed back on the tree. In a perfect world, that would have been the end of their situation. What was stolen had been returned, and everything would be set back into balance.

Unfortunately, they still had plenty of issues to deal with. The first was some kind of payment for what had happened to Annabeth. Her arms had been flayed, and that wasn't something that could just be forgiven. Camp Jupiter's senior praetor had tortured a head counselor of Camp Half-Blood. Who could forgive that?

Frank sighed and kicked a rock in front of him. Diana had taken the three of them back to Camp Jupiter. Then, she took Thalia to Camp Half-Blood to return the Golden Fleece. The two of them would return in a few hours, to discuss what had happened. Frank wished that Diana had taken Annabeth and Percy with her.

He understood some of her reasoning though. Annabeth really just needed to stay in the infirmary and relax. Percy would stay by her side and wouldn't leave her alone. They would also be able to give their side of the story to the Senate, but that would only make things harder for Frank.

Did Frank think that Reyna deserved some kind of punishment for her actions? Well, he wasn't sure about that. There should be repercussions for what Reyna did, but she had a goddess in her head that was guiding her astray. The punishments that would be laid out would also be worse than what one human should endure, and it just wasn't fair.

"Praetor," a voice said. Frank stopped walking, and he felt the hair on the back of his neck stand. He slowly turned around and looked at Livia. If it was possible, she looked even worse than Frank felt. Her eyes were extremely red, and there was dark circles underneath her eyes. A hollow look also rested in her eyes, and that scared Frank. "Come on."

It wasn't a request, and all Frank could do was stare at Livia. She took off down the road and walked towards her mother's bakery. After a moment, Frank followed. He didn't know why Livia wanted to talk to him, but it made his gut twist. The events of the last few days had left him too exhausted for anymore treachery.

Livia slowly reached into her pocket and pulled out keys. She slowly grabbed the correct key and tried to stick it into the lock. Her hands were shaking badly, and her whole body was extremely tensed. Frank slowly reached his hand out and grabbed the key from Livia. He unlocked the door of the bakery.

Livia opened the door of the bakery, and she motioned for Frank to step inside. Frank stepped into the bakery, and Livia followed behind him. She locked the door and lowered the blinds. Livia walked towards a table and sat on it.

"How are you holding up?" Frank asked. He knew the pain of losing a mother all too well, but he couldn't even imagine what it felt like to have his mother die in his arms. Livia knew that pain, and she clearly wasn't taking it well.

"Octavian and I always used to argue about who would be stuck here helping mom with the bakery," Livia said. She stared at the ground and swallowed painfully. There was tears in her eyes. "We both hated having to help all of the demigods that treated us like dirt. You never saw it, Frank. Octavian turned out the way he did because he didn't have a proper father in his life, and our mother cared more about power than her own family."

"Mom really did love this stupid cafe. Passed down for generations, and it's our family legacy. What a pathetic legacy," Livia said. Tears trickled from her eyes, and she didn't try to wipe them away. "Octavian died trying to bring glory to New Rome. My mother died because a goddess wanted to use her as a pawn. I guess my family is cursed."

"I don't think you're cursed," Frank began. Livia smiled, but it was full of bitterness and pain. "I'm sorry, Livia. I know what it feels like. I lost my mom when I was young. She was deployed, and she never came back home."

"Did she love you?" Livia asked after a few moments. Frank felt tears starting to come to his own eyes, but he blinked them away. He finally nodded. "I guess I always wondered what it was like to have mortal parents. They aren't bothered by things like preserving a family legacy or living up the great name of our ancestors. You're lucky, Frank."

Frank remained silent. He wasn't quite sure how he could respond. Livia and him had never really talked. Their relationship was strictly professional, but times have changed. Frank slowly spoke, "You shouldn't be alone during all of this."

"I already am," Livia whispered. Frank slowly grabbed her shoulder and squeezed it. After a few moments, Livia looked at him. She quickly looked away. "I shouldn't bother you about this."

"You need to talk to someone about this," Frank said. "I'm not going to judge you, Livia. I'm not going to demote you for this. The only thing I care about is making sure that you're okay. You're not thinking about ending your life again, are you?"

Livia didn't answer him. Frank's gut twisted for a few moments, and he slowly sat down. Livia finally spoke, "No. I'm not. I know it's going to be hard, and I don't know what I'm going to do, but suicide isn't the answer."

Frank gripped her shoulder in what he hoped was a comforting manner. Then, he stood and turned to leave. Livia spoke, "Wait. There is something I wanted to talk to you about."

"What is it?" Frank asked after a few moments. He looked at Livia. She studied the door for a few moments. Then, she took a deep breath and wiped her eyes.

"Halward hasn't left me alone since my mother died," Livia whispered. She took another deep breath and wiped her eyes once again. It seemed like she was about to break down again, but she just bit her lip tightly. "He keeps asking me how it happened."

"Why?" Frank asked. Livia stood and walked towards the counter. She reached behind it and grabbed a brownie. Livia offered one to Frank. He hesitated, but he slowly grabbed it. Frank took a small bite. Livia made him a drink quietly.

Frank wanted to keep questioning Livia, but he knew that she was barely containing herself. It seemed like the motion of making coffee was calming her down, or just keeping her balanced. Livia made a drink and handed it to Frank. He took a small sip.

"Thank you," Frank whispered. He took another sip and then sat down. Livia made herself a drink and then sat down across from him. "If you need time, I understand."

"I know what Halward wants, and it's power," Livia said. She staring down at the liquid of her drink. "I know that he wants Reyna's head on a silver platter. He wants her removed from power and punished severely. Halward wants you to be the sole praetor, so he can manipulate you."

"I'm not going to be manipulated," Frank said. A bitter laugh left Livia. "I wouldn't fall for any of his tricks."

"With you as the only praetor, Halward will have the Senate hold off a vote of naming a new praetor. He will make sure no one is raised on a shield. Then, Halward will convince the Senate that we must cut ourselves off from the Greeks. He will convince everyone that they only bring punishment and death."

"Halward will string you along just like he strung my mother along," Livia said. She shook her head and looked down. "You haven't been here long enough to understand. There has always been a divide at Camp Jupiter between the praetors, the Senate, and the Augur. It is rare that the three are aligned with their thoughts and beliefs, but when they are, it isn't a perfect union. One person has total power."

"Reyna and Jason worked together well to keep Octavian at bay. When Jason disappeared, Reyna struggled to contain Octavian. I'm sure you saw the divide there, and the Senate was waiting to see who would come out on top. That's another reason you'll never win the Senate over Halward," Livia continued.

"Reyna and Jason were a great pair of praetors. Both were smart and knew how to orientate themselves. Reyna knew better to stay in the background and focus on what a war monger focuses on best. She came forth to the Senate with any war plans. Jason was the speaker. One praetor has to be the speaker: the one that everyone loves. The other has to be in the background and focused on the best training for the legion. It's a balance that you and Reyna, both children of war, cannot provide," Livia finished.

Frank stared down at his drink for a few, long moments. He spoke, "Why can't we provide that balance? The Senate trusts Reyna."

"You are too inexperienced to be the speaker of your group, and Reyna struggles to be the best orator. She could never beat Octavian, and he is only half as skilled as Halward. You two are both warriors, and you do not have a speaker. Halward is going to destroy you in front of the Senate, after he's done sentencing Reyna to the worst punishment that he can think of," Livia said.

Frank looked down. He knew that the Senate didn't trust him as much as they trusted Reyna, and he couldn't blame them. She was the senior praetor who led the camp all by herself for months and managed to keep it intact. She alone delivered the statue to Camp Half-Blood and brought peace. While she didn't actually do it alone, that was how the Senate saw it.

To them, Frank was one of the seven. He did not save Camp Jupiter by himself. Frank was carried to victory by two former praetors and four other powerful demigods. Frank had only been given his position because of Jason. When Jason was raised on a shield to praetorship, the entire camp agreed on it. When Frank was given the position by Jason, it was like an emperor handing power down to their successor, and New Rome hated their emperors.

Frank couldn't worry about that now though. He had to focus on how to keep Halward from using his influence over the Senate to force Reyna out of her position and drown out Frank's voice. Frank could not allow that to happen. He just didn't know how to avoid it.

"Thank you, Livia," Frank said. She slowly looked at him and nodded. "Try to get some rest. If you need to talk to someone, let me know."

Livia studied him for a few moments. Then, she looked down and seemed to swallow painfully. Frank stood and spoke, "Are you okay to be by yourself?"

"I'm fine," Livia whispered. Frank walked towards the door. He studied her for a few moments and then finally nodded. Frank turned and left the bakery. For a few moments, he stared at the ground and tried to think of what to do. Winning a war of words against Halward wasn't in the cards. He would just have to find another solution.

Frank started to walk towards the infirmary. Truthfully, he was bitter. He hoped all of this would be finished when they returned the Golden Fleece, but he should have known things weren't done until the Senate wanted it to be done, and right now, Halward was the Senate. Frank nodded to himself. He would just have to make sure things turned out how he wanted them to.


	26. He Wants My Blood

Frank stared at the door of the infirmary and tried to think of what exactly he was going to say. When they first got back to Camp Jupiter, he had checked on Reyna for a few seconds before passing around the message that they had been successful in finding the Golden Fleece. Then, he went on his walk around New Rome.

Livia's words ran through his head, and it made his gut twist. Frank took a deep breath and stepped into the infirmary. A small frown came to his face as he looked at the three demigods that were in the middle of a conversation. While he expected them to talk sooner or later, he thought a lot more time would pass.

"Hey, Frank. Hungry?" Percy asked. He offered a slice of pizza. Frank shook his head and studied Percy. The son of Neptune was sitting next to Annabeth and looked pretty content. His hair was a mess, like he had just woken up from a nap.

Annabeth looked much better. Her skin was no longer pale, and she wore a long sleeve shirt that covered the bandages on her arm. A small smile was on her face, and she was sitting in a chair next to Percy. Both of them were looking at Reyna.

Reyna was staring down at her plate of food. Her shoulders were drooped, but she looked well rested. The bandage on her temple was gone, replaced with a small scar. Frank could see a bandage peeking out from underneath her shirt. Reyna looked up at Frank and spoke, "Morning, Frank."

"How are you doing?" Frank asked. He walked towards the bed next to hers and sat down. There wasn't any tension in the air. Percy and Annabeth seemed relaxed. Reyna still looked like the guilt was crushing her, but that was to be expected.

"I feel terrible about what happened," Reyna answered. She closed her eyes for a few moment. "Physically, I feel worse than the first time I poisoned myself. Mentally, I don't even know where to begin."

"You can't blame yourself too much," Annabeth began. Reyna remained silent and didn't look at Annabeth. Her face was carefully neutral. "The goddess was inside my head too. She completely managed to manipulate me and convince me that you were going to kill Percy. That's why I stabbed you."

"It's still not as bad as what I did," Reyna muttered. She rubbed her face and sighed tiredly. "I poisoned the barrier of your camp. I tortured you. I attacked my fellow Roman. I poisoned my fellow praetor. There is nothing worse than what I did."

"We'll figure something out," Frank promised. Reyna shook her head and buried her face in her hands. "I promise that we will help you."

"Frank, I already admitted to what I did in front of the Senate. There is no way to deny my guilt. I have to face whatever my punishment is,"

"Livia told me that Halward wants to remove you from your position of praetor and then try to manipulate me," Frank said. He stared at Reyna for a few moments. "Do you think he could manipulate me?"

Reyna slowly looked up at him and seemed to think about it for a few moments. She finally spoke, "If the Senate does not believe in you, they will turn to Halward. I've already dug my own grave, and he's going to bury me in it."

"Not if we don't let him," Percy interrupted. Frank glanced at Percy. "I know that I said some things, but I was upset about what happened to Annabeth. She told me how the goddess got in her head and helped manipulate her. Annabeth would have never attacked anyone like that, if the goddess wasn't telling her to. I realized how strong that influence is."

"She didn't appear as my mother or anyone else, but it was like a voice in the back of my head," Annabeth said. She took a tired breath. "It was like another thought I was having, and it convinced me that you were going to hurt Percy. I'm sorry."

"Annabeth, I'm the one who should be apologizing," Reyna said. She swallowed painfully and cleared her throat. "I am so sorry for what I did. I don't know how to even begin making it up, and I won't even be able to. Halward is going to convince the Senate to punish me terribly. I'll be lucky to be alive tomorrow."

"I'm not about to let them crucify you," Frank said. He looked at Reyna. It made him sick to his stomach that something like crucifixion might happen to his friend. Why was that even an option? What was wrong with them? "We have a few hours until Diana comes back. We can figure something out."

Reyna didn't answer. She placed her plate down on the bedside table and then laid back on the bed. Her eyes stared up at the ceiling. Frank looked at the two Greeks. Annabeth was staring at the ground lost in thought, and Percy was looking around the room.

"Well, Artemis will want Reyna punished, but if we can convince her to not barge in the Senate and demand blood, that should help the case. Shouldn't it?" Percy asked. He nodded to himself. "If the Senate doesn't feel like they need to please the goddess, they might be more focused on making sure Camp Half-Blood isn't too upset. They'll just have to make it up to us."

"And, we won't ask too much of a price," Annabeth added.

"You guys can't make it seem like you're being merciful," Reyna muttered. "If the Senate thinks that you are doing this because we are friends or just being weak, they will take advantage of you later."

"Not if the praetors don't let them," Annabeth said.

"When we thought this was all because of Livia, I almost had the Senate convinced that Camp Half-Blood should be the ones who choose the punishment," Frank added. "Maybe, I can convince them that Camp Half-Blood should also choose yours."

"Halward's not going to accept that," Reyna said. "He wants my blood, and he will spill it to get control of New Rome and Camp Jupiter."

Frank laid back on the bed he was sitting on and sighed tiredly. He felt like they were stuck in the same spot and had no clue how to get out of it. The easiest thing would be for Camp Half-Blood to choose Reyna's punishment. After all, she did poison their barriers and torture Annabeth. Halward wouldn't see it the same way though.

Halward would point towards Reyna attacking Alfred and poisoning Frank for the reason that Camp Jupiter should be the one picking the punishment, but he would wrap all the crimes up into one neat little package to justify just how severely the punishment would be. Frank slowly spoke, "What if we split up the crimes. Two different punishments for two different crimes. Halward won't have as much ammunition to use."

"Camp Half-Blood was poisoned, and the Golden Fleece was taken from them. Annabeth was tortured. Those are the biggest crimes, and we can say that it is only fair that Camp Half-Blood decides on the punishment," Frank continued.

"Halward can only punish me for attacking two Romans then," Reyna muttered. Her tone was bitter, even though she was clearly trying to hide it. "I appreciate you guys trying to help. I don't deserve the help, and there is nothing you can do for me."

"What if we say that you didn't mean to poison me?" Frank asked. Reyna looked at him and shook her head. "We can just say that cups got mixed up, or they had to be repoured. I don't think I can do this without you to help me, Reyna. We can't let Halward gain influence."

Reyna stared at the ground for a very long time. She finally closed her eyes and nodded. Reyna spoke, "Whatever I have to do to atone. I am so sorry for what I did."

Annabeth grabbed Reyna's shoulder. They met eyes, and neither of them said a word. Reyna was the first to look away, and she buried her face in her hands. Annabeth stood and spoke, "We'll give you guys some time alone."

"Thank you," Frank said. He watched Annabeth and Percy leave the room. Reyna didn't lower her hands. She didn't even look at Frank. "You can't blame yourself for all of this. Annabeth even said that she understands."

"Annabeth understands, but she also didn't torture one of her friends and put both of the camps in danger," Reyna whispered. "There is no way that I walk away from the consequences, Frank. If you keep trying to help, it's only going to make it worse for you."

"I don't care," Frank said. "I don't give up on my friends, so that means I'm not giving up on you."

"Thank you," Reyna whispered. She slowly lowered her hands and turned on her side. Reyna stared at her pillow. "I don't know how to even begin making this up."

"We'll figure it out," Frank promised. Reyna nodded and closed her eyes. "You should probably message Hylla. I heard she was pretty agitated when she heard you were in trouble."

"I will. Thank you, Frank. I think I want to be alone for a little bit," Reyna whispered. Frank nodded and stood. He rubbed Reyna's back for a few moments and then left the infirmary. Frank tried to take a deep breath and focus on the meeting ahead. It would decide the fate of the two camps, and Frank hoped they were ready for it.


	27. Maybe There Would Be a Lasting Peace

Frank stared down at his almost shaking hands. Why was he so nervous? The Senate meeting would go their way, or it wouldn't. There was no need for him to worry. All he had to do was convince the Senate to listen to him, which he struggled to do. All he could do was hoped everything worked out and not have a panic attack on the way to the meeting.

As Frank thought he would manage to not have a panic attack, Diana appeared at his side. Frank stared up at the goddess. He was definitely going to have a panic attack. What if their plan didn't work? What if Diana wanted Reyna to be punished horribly as well? There was no emotions on the goddess' face, which didn't make Frank feel any better.

Annabeth had a long talk with Thalia, and apparently, it went really well. Everything about the situation was odd to Frank. They were asking Annabeth to vouch and stick her neck out for the demigod that had tortured her, and Annabeth agreed to it. It was just so strange, and it made Frank feel bad. He didn't want to put anyone in that situation. Yet, here they were.

After their talk, Annabeth and Thalia went to talk to Diana, but Frank had no clue how that one turned out. All he could do was see what Diana said. It wasn't like he could ask her, since he was a male. Frank would probably be nothing more than an ash stain on the streets of New Rome if he did.

"Praetor," Diana said after a long moment. Frank slowly looked up at her. The goddess studied him for a very long moment and didn't say another word. Why was this so terrifying? As Frank desperately tried to think of what to say to Diana. He was saved the by the goddess making a small noise, almost a growl of anger. "Your fellow praetor stepped out of her bounds."

"She did," Frank agreed. Diana met his eyes. "Reyna messed up badly, and we are not denying that. I just know that Reyna being removed as praetor will mean terrible things for Camp Jupiter. I think Halward is power hungry, and he may try to bring New Rome back to how it was before we made peace. He's old fashioned."

There was a few things about Diana that was common knowledge. One, she hated men. Two, she wanted women to be treated with great respect. Three, she hated men for simply existing, but she hated the men that disrespected women the most.

Maybe, it was a little dangerous to make those kinds of accusations of Halward, and Diana could probably see right through it. Frank had to try though. He could try to play dumb and hope that it worked, or maybe, he would get lucky. There was a chance the accusations were true. Diana studied him for a very long moment.

"If there is something that Reyna can do in private to make up for this, she will," Frank said softly. "I will help her."

Diana looked away and seemed to be lost in thought for a few moments. Her gaze moved around the camp, and she spoke, "I do not like to recruit many hunters from this place. It is full of snakes and liars. True loyalty is as rare as a good male, and Frank Zhang, you have loyalty to your fellow praetor."

"I do," Frank said. Diana watched him and nodded. Then, she turned and walked away. Frank just stared at the goddess. Calling after her would probably only get him killed. All he could do was stand there with all kinds of worry and apprehension in his gut. Had his plea worked?

"Are you ready for this?" Reyna asked. Frank jumped and slowly looked at his fellow praetor. Reyna had just appeared at his side. She was back in her armor and praetor's cape. The regret in her face and eyes was long gone, and Reyna almost looked back to normal. There was a small, almost healed cut on her temple, and she wasn't standing straight. It seemed to be the only weakness that she would show.

"I don't know," Frank admitted. Reyna nodded her agreement. "How does your back feel?"

"It hurts. Well, everything hurts," Reyna said. Frank nodded and was happy and a little proud that Reyna confided in him. Reyna glanced at him and smiled slightly. It was a sad smile, and it gave away her emotions. Frank felt like he was seeing behind the mask of his fellow praetor, and he knew how rare that was.

"After this, you should probably rest," Frank said. Reyna gave him a look. Frank smiled slightly, and Reyna rolled her eyes. "I know that you will want to run around and try to put out all the fires."

"You're talking like everything will be the same after this," Reyna said. Frank stopped walking, and he frowned. Reyna stopped and looked back at him. It won't go back to how it was before."

"Why can't it?" Frank asked quietly. Reyna shook her head. "The relationship between the camps doesn't have to change, even if the relationship between the leaders does. Only a few people know the truth, and we can carry that to our graves, for Camp Jupiter."

"Are you sure you didn't get replaced during all of this?" Reyna asked. Frank shook his head. "I guess you're starting to learn how to play the game. It sucks, doesn't it?"

"It does," Frank agreed. He started to walk again. Reyna followed behind him for a few moments but finally matched his pace. "How do you handle it?"

"I just remember that I do all of this for the good of Camp Jupiter, for those demigods who are just trying to live their lives," Reyna answered. She sighed tiredly. "It's a lot to shoulder, Frank. The older members of the Senate just don't get it. They want power, to do what they think is right."

"They're out of touch though, especially now with the Greeks," Frank said. Reyna nodded her agreement. The two of them walked into the Senate House. Frank could see that most of the Senate had already gathered, along with the remaining centurions and their unofficial augur.

"Just keep your calm," Reyna whispered to Frank. Then, she walked towards her chair and sat in it. Her eyes slowly studied the Senate, but there was no emotion on her face. Frank still didn't know how she managed that. He walked towards his own chair and slowly sat down. A glance around showed that Halward's gaze was solely focused on him.

Halward finally tore his gaze from Frank and moved towards Livia. He whispered to her, but Livia gave him no response, other than a shrug or small nod. Frank couldn't tell if she was intentionally acting like that or if her mother's death was taking that much of a toll. He knew that feeling all too well, but he had to focus.

Frank moved his gaze towards the ground. A silence fell over the Senate, and Frank slowly looked up. Everyone was staring at Diana, but the goddess didn't look at any of them. Her gaze was focused ahead. She walked towards the opposite wall and stood against it.

"Lady Diana," Halward began. Diana slowly looked at him. There was a scowl on her face. Halward seemed unconcerned, or he was just crazy. He took a step towards Diana. "We will set all of this right. I promise."

Diana didn't say a word. Her eyes drifted around the room, before her gaze focused on Reyna. After a moment, Diana spoke, "I am here to make sure the Greeks are represented fairly. Praetor Ramirez and I have already discussed reparations."

If the words were any surprise to Reyna, she didn't show it. Halward scowled and looked around at the rest of the Senate. He spoke, "It is time that we were told the truth of what has happened. All we truly know is that a Greek was tortured, and Reyna claimed responsibility. Alfred was attacked, and Darriah was killed. We all deserve to know what truly happened."

Frank looked at Reyna for a long moment. She was staring at the ground and seemingly lost in thought. The rest of the Senate was waiting in tense anticipation. Frank glanced over at Annabeth. She met his eyes, and while neither of them made a movement, they were in agreement.

"I'm sure that everyone remembers when Diana first dragged Reyna here, and Reyna admitted to poisoning the tree at Camp Half-Blood," Frank said. As he spoke, he made sure to look at each member of the Senate and make eye contact. He had to win their support.

"Reyna did all of this because she thought that Annabeth was going to attack our home," Frank continued. He could almost see the grin on Halward's face. His eyes were gleaming. "After some investigation, we know that Annabeth was not planning on attacking us. None of the Greeks were."

"So," Halward interrupted. He stood a little straighter. "Our senior praetor tortured one of our allies for no good reason. She disrupted the sacredness of the Pax Romana. Praetor, you know that the consequences will be severe."

"I would agree, if Reyna was in control of her actions," Frank said. He met Halward's eyes. This was going to be the moment of truth. He would have to win the Senate over and convince them that he was telling the truth. "A goddess, Astraea, was called upon by someone who wanted to destroy both of our camps in a bid for revenge. Astraea possessed Reyna."

"This is not just a story to escape the consequences?" Halward questioned.

"I will face the consequences laid before me," Reyna said. She slowly stood and met Halward's eyes. "It is no secret that you do not like me, Halward, but even as my biggest critic, you know how loyal I am to Camp Jupiter. Hurting our Greek allies would mean hurting my home. I would never do that willingly."

"Reyna will face the consequences," Frank promised. He didn't dare look at Reyna. All he could do was hope that she was keeping her face neutral. "When we believed that Livia committed this crime, we were going to have Camp Half-Blood pick the punishment. I think they should pick Reyna's punishment as well."

"I just hope Camp Half-Blood will understand that Reyna was not in full control of her actions," Frank said, before Halward could open his mouth. His gaze focused on Percy. "A rogue Hunter of Artemis was the one who summoned the goddess and led Reyna into the trap that caused her to become possessed. Percy, Thalia, and I handled the rogue Hunter, and the goddess was subdued with help from Lady Diana. There are no more threats to us."

"Other than the traitor that stands before us," Halward said. His eyes focused on Reyna. Frank risked a glance towards her. Reyna was not backing down from Halward's gaze. "I do not believe that a goddess would cause you to do all of that. We have no proof."

"The same goddess took control of my mother," Livia interrupted. She slowly stood, and her hand moved to her wrist. "The goddess, that bitch, made my mother almost kill me. Annabeth save my life, and my mother killed herself. Tell me, Halward. Is that something my mother would do?"

Halward remained silent. Livia practically collapsed back into her seat, and she buried her face in her hands. Frank allowed the silence to settle over the Senate. His heart was racing, but he had to remain calm. There was whispers throughout the Senate.

"I don't think it is fair that we take justice into our hands for what Praetor Ramirez did to Camp Half-Blood," Leila said. As Halward turned on her, she kept her gaze ahead. If her father scared her, she didn't show it. "Who else agrees?"

It didn't take long for a majority of the Senate to raise their hands in agreement. Frank almost let out a deep breath of relief. Before he could, Halward spoke, "What of Alfred's attack? Wasn't that also our senior praetor?"

"It was the rogue Hunter," Annabeth answered. Everyone looked at her. "Before Reyna started to torture me for information, the rogue Hunter confronted me and told me that no one would know I was there. The child of Veritas had been taken out by her hand, and she thought that Percy and Frank were incapacitated."

"So Greek, what should happen to the person who tortured you for information you did not have?" Halward asked. He stood a little straighter and studied Annabeth. "It should be a fitting punishment, hopefully."

"Praetor Ramirez flayed my arms. I believe the Romans are great believers of an eye for an eye, or skin for skin," Annabeth said. Her face remained emotionless, and her voice didn't quiver. "I'm sure you can get a Roman to match the wounds. Or, a Greek can do it, so we make sure that it is fair."

"Will Camp Half-Blood forgive us then?" Dakota asked. Annabeth looked at him and nodded.

"We understand that Praetor Ramirez was not in control of herself. After blood is repaid, we will be satisfied. This will be a precedent and hopefully be a warning for everyone else about what happens if you try to break the peace," Annabeth stated.

Frank slowly looked around the rest of the Senate for reactions. They were all impassive, and it made his gut twist. A glance to his side showed that Reyna was looking at her arms. Frank finally looked up and focused on Halward.

"It seems that all of the victims have been satisfied then," Halward said through gritted teeth. He looked at Livia, and for a few moments, his face softened. "We should honor and bury our dead."

"Darriah will be honored," Frank promised. He stood. "I also suggest a probation for my fellow praetor. I have no doubts she will go back to being the best example of us, since the goddess is out of her head. It will be wise to remain cautious."

Halward studied Frank for a long moment. He finally gave a single nod and moved to Livia's side. Halward sat by her and slowly placed his hand to Livia's back, as if to comfort her. Leila moved to Livia's other side and pulled her into a gentle hug.

For a few moments, the only sound was Livia's heartbroken cries. Frank took a deep breath and spoke, "This Senate meeting is adjourned."

Frank sat back in his chair and let out a deep breath. He watched the members of the Senate file out. Some stopped to give Livia words of comfort. Others left as soon as they could. Frank looked back at Diana, but the goddess was gone. He let out another deep breath.

Halward looked at Frank. He studied him for a long moment and shook his head. Then with the help of Leila, he helped Livia stand and led her out. Frank slowly stood and looked at his friends. Annabeth and Percy were talking quietly. Reyna was sitting in her chair and staring down at her arms.

"I wasn't serious about flaying your arms," Annabeth whispered softly. She made it to Reyna's side and squeezed her shoulder.

"It will have to be done," Reyna said softly. She shook her head and looked up at them. "Thank you. It is only because of you three that I still have my home and my position."

"We couldn't let Halward get any more power," Percy said. A small grin came to his face. "Besides, it's fun to annoy you when you're trying to be all serious and can't tell me to shut up."

A small smile came to Reyna's face. She slowly stood and clasped Frank's shoulder. Reyna spoke, "You did good, Frank. You're really coming into your own as praetor."

Frank couldn't stop his smile, and he couldn't stop himself from hugging Reyna. She tensed for a few moments before slowly giving him a partial hug back. Frank pulled away and spoke, "Sorry. I'm just happy that you're going to be okay."

"Don't get soft on me," Reyna warned, but she still had that smile on her face. "Thank you guys, again."

"You would do the same for us," Annabeth said. She turned towards Percy. "We better update Chiron on everything."

"Make sure you get some food before you go," Frank said. Annabeth nodded and started to walk away. She looked like she was already in work mode. Percy gave Frank a look.

"I'll make sure she eats something. You two should get some sleep," Percy said. He turned and hurried to catch up to Annabeth.

"I owe you, Frank. You saved me," Reyna whispered softly. As the Greeks disappeared from sight, her shoulders drooped, and she sighed tiredly.

"That's what friends do," Frank said. Reyna looked at him and smiled slightly. Frank smiled as well. He looked away and slowly lost his smile. They were lucky that the Senate went their way, or maybe, the Senate just liked Reyna that much. Was it possible they were just going to ignore any proof or logic presented to them to cover up for their senior praetor?

Was that why Halward wanted control of the Senate? How much would he be able to get away with? Frank thought he was starting to get the hang of navigating the Senate, but something told him that he was wrong. It was probably something he would never get use to, but that was okay.

All he needed was for his friends to help. Together, they could stop any threat, internal or external. For now, Frank would enjoy the victory and make sure that the punishment passed by as smoothly and painless as it could. Then, he would make sure that things between the camps stayed peaceful.

If Frank threw himself into his work, he could forget that he had blood on his hands from someone who was just trying to save their family but was so broken that they didn't recognize the truth. He would forget how far their enemies and even allies would go to do what they thought was right. Frank took a deep breath and stared at the ceiling. He had to stay his course, and maybe, there would be a lasting peace between the camps after all.

* * *

 **Thank you for all of the support throughout this story. I hope everyone has enjoyed the last chapter.**


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